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Moliere on DVD (2006)

Moliere cover art
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Average rating: 66%
1325615162047
3.5
from 5,076 members
 
Starring: Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante, Ludivine Sagnier
Director: Laurent Tirard
Studio: PATHE
Run time: 120 mins
Certificate: 12
User collections: Faulty disks sent by Lovefilm.com, If you don't mind the subtitles..., british is not always best
Genres: Drama, World Cinema
Languages: French
Released: 12/11/2007

Brief synopsis of Moliere

1644, Paris, and 22-year-old Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, also known as Molière, is not yet the writer that history recognizes as the father and true master of comic satire, author of The Misanthrope and Tartuffe, and a dramatist to rank alongside Shakespeare and Sophocles. Far from it. He is, in fact, a failed actor.

His Illustrious Theatre Troupe, founded the previous year, is bankrupt. Hounded by creditors, Molière is thrown into jail, released, then swiftly imprisoned again. When the jailors finally let him go, he disappears. The combined efforts of historians have unearthed no trace of him before his reappearance, several months later, when his troupe begins touring the provinces - a tour that will last for thirteen years, and culminate in Molière's triumphant return to Paris in 1658.

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Rated - 5 starsA new take at French writer's life

A customer from London , 24/09/2007

French Director Tirard looks at Moliere's life from a new angle. Humor (Luchini is very funny), drama and love make it worth watching. The costumes and French villages in this film are breathtaking.

  19 out of 20 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsMoliere - zut alors!

Hibblesvanian from Slough , 23/11/2007

Can't say I enjoyed this one too much. If you don't speak fluent French, it's probably not worth bothering with as the English subtitles are woefully inadequate. My French was good enough (just) to know just how much was being left out. The subtitles will often give you the first half of a sentence and then leave you hanging for the rest of the..... Didn't even finish watching the film because I just couldn't follow it.

  16 out of 21 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsVery funny

A customer from Cambridge , 17/11/2007

The film is subtitled but that shouldn't spoil your enjoyment though you will get more out of the subtle humour if you understand the French. In many ways it reminded me of Shakespeare in Love: the fictionalised story of a famous writer told using the stories he wrote himself. There is some brilliant verbal and physical humour in the film ... and was it just my imagination or does 'Moliere' look like a cross between Charlie Chaplin and Russel Brand? Excellent film. Highly recommended.

  14 out of 16 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsA pleasant surprise.

4Tell [Highly rated reviewer] , 20/01/2008

I guess you would call this a French, period, romantic comedy.

As others have noted, it is a fictionalised tale of an unknown period in the life of Moliere and uses one of his plays to suggest what may have happened to him in that 'gap period'.

It is beautifully shot, wonderfully cast and both amusing yet heart tugging.

'Shakespeare in Love' does come to mind. However, it is a somewhat more mannered piece. However, if you liked that and can handle subtitles (or speak French), then I am sure you'll like this.

Perhaps its greatest praise is that it made we want to know more of Moliere's work.

  12 out of 12 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 5 starsJoy!

A customer from Canterbury, UK , 07/04/2008

If you liked Moliere´s pieces, you will love this very personal and extremely funny vision of the director on Moliere´s life.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsDark Horse

Kate Stephen from Glasgow [Highly rated reviewer] , 05/02/2008

Liked this one. Unusual film, well acted. Kept you guessing with clever writing. Didn't even mind the end.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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