L'Argent
1983
Robert Bresson won a Best Director Award at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the Grand Prize for Creation, for this contemporary revision of Leo Tolstoy's short story. The tragedy tells of how an innocent prank goes wrong and becomes the definitive moment in a man's life. When a young man passes a forged 500-franc note .. Read more
| Starring | Christian Patey, Vincent Risterucci, Caroline Lang |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Bresson |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
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L'Argent
Robert Bresson won a Best Director Award at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival, as well as the Grand Prize for Creation, for this contemporary revision of Leo Tolstoy's short story. The tragedy tells of how an innocent prank goes wrong and becomes the definitive moment in a man's life. When a young man passes a forged 500-franc note at a photography shop, the photographer passes it along to an unsuspecting victim. It eventually lands in the hands of Yvon Targe (Christian Patey), an innocent man who is detained when he tries to use it to pay for a meal. Hiring an attorney to hopefully bring the truth to light, Yvon is shocked to discover that the photographer will not budge from his story. To make matters even worse, he has goaded his assistant into lying along with him. This causes Yvon to lose his job and self-respect, triggering a downward spiral that results in a murder. Bresson's final film is a haunting commentary that condemns materialism and its sinful offspring, exploring universal themes that only continue to grow in importance in modern society. Proving that not all filmmakers weaken as they age, L'ARGENT remains as profound a work of art as the director's early masterpiece, A MAN ESCAPED.
| Starring | Christian Patey, Vincent Risterucci, Caroline Lang |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Bresson |
| Studio | ARTIFICIAL EYE |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 22 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: French |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 23 May 2005 Production year: 1983 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Adhering rigidly to the spirt of a Tolstoy short story, Robert Bresson's final feature is as uncompromising as (but much less admired than) his earlier study of the preordained consequences of crime, Pickpocket(1959). Starting with the mischievous exchange of a forged 500 franc note, an inexorable sequence of events culminates in a man murdering his family with an axe. It's a brutal climax to Christian Patey's descent from decency to degradation. Yet, it's hard to accuse Bresson of manipulation, as he views each chillingly logical stage with a dispassion that distressingly echoes that of an even less compassionate society.
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A single 500 franc forged note changes hands as a schoolboy prank; and with remorseless logic, an innocent is led down... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
One thing leads to another.
The film starts with a boy in debt and his father won't help out with extra pocket money. He gets help(?) from a friend by way of a dud note, which they pass off in a shop. At this point we expect a tale based on 'follow the note' as it passes from person to person. What we get however is how the effects of an initial action ripple out like the effects of a single stone cast in to a pond.
The film is a little confusing, as not everything is clearly explained. The acting is strange too, all the actors are akward and stiff, but with them all doing this it is obviously done for effect. I felt that the director asked for this to remove the humanity of the characters and convey instead the workings of fate. The film has a definite feel of a russian morale tale, like a greek tragedy but without the nobility of the gods.
The actor in the lead role gives a splendid performance, when he first enters it is like a bit player coming on for a minor part and he seems periferal to the action, as things progress he moves center stage and dominates the film.
If you like a film with an easy to follow plot, lots of action and twists and some character development then this one is not for you. If however you like a film to make you think and which explores a descent in to hell from a simple beginning then give it a go. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
One thing leads to another.
The film starts with a boy in debt and his father won't help out with extra pocket money. He gets help(?) from a friend by way of a dud note, which they pass off in a shop. At this point we expect a tale based on 'follow the note' as it passes from person to person. What we get however is how the effects of an initial action ripple out like the effects of a single stone cast in to a pond.
The film is a little confusing, as not everything is clearly explained. The acting is strange too, all the actors are akward and stiff, but with them all doing this it is obviously done for effect. I felt that the director asked for this to remove the humanity of the characters and convey instead the workings of fate. The film has a definite feel of a russian morale tale, like a greek tragedy but without the nobility of the gods.
The actor in the lead role gives a splendid performance, when he first enters it is like a bit player coming on for a minor part and he seems periferal to the action, as things progress he moves center stage and dominates the film.
If you like a film with an easy to follow plot, lots of action and twists and some character development then this one is not for you. If however you like a film to make you think and which explores a descent in to hell from a simple beginning then give it a go. -
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