Amours célèbres (1961)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Michel Boisrond

Writers:

Marcel Achard (dialogue) (segment)
Michel Audiard (dialogue) (segment)

Release Date:

3 November 1961 (France)

Genre:

History | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Civil War | Costume | Historical | Witch Hunt

Cast

Philippe Noiret	...	Louis XIV (segment "Lauzun")
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Lauzun (segment "Lauzun)
Dany Robin	...	Mme de Monaco (segment "Lauzun")
Palau	...	Saint-Simon (segment "Lauzun") (as Pierre Palau)
Liliane Brousse	...	Mme de Montespan (segment "Lauzun")
Guy Tréjan	...	Le gouverneur (segment "Lauzun")
Agnès Laurent	...	La femme du gouverneur (segment "Lauzun")
Michel Galabru	...	Champagne (segment "Lauzun")
Maurice Varny	...	Saint-Aignan (segment "Lauzun")
Simone Signoret	...	Jenny (segment "Jenny de Lacour")
Pierre Vaneck	...	René de La Roche (segment "Jenny de Lacour")
Colette Castel	...	La femme de chambre (segment "Jenny de Lacour")
François Maistre	...	Commissaire Massot (segment "Jenny de Lacour")
Antoine Bourseiller	...	Nathali Gaudry (segment "Jenny de Lacour")
Alain Delon	...	Prince Albert / Le duc Albert (segment "Agnès Bernauer")

Also Known As:

Famous Love Affairs (International: English title)

Runtime:

130 min | West Germany:109 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16

Company:

Cosmos Film

Movie Connections:

Remake of Jugement de Dieu, Le (1952)

Not so famous!

Outside the first sketch,featuring Lauzun,Mesdames de Monaco,Montespan and La Vallière,and the Sun King in the flesh,these love affairs,notwithstanding the title ,are not that much famous,even for the European audience.This is a rather mediocre program,which boasts a lot of French stars but which does not deliver the goods.

The first one takes us in Versailles ,at the time of Louis XIV,the Sun King.As for the footnotes in history are concerned,you'll always be better off with Sacha Guitry's "si Versailles m'était conté" or "si Paris m'était conté".This sinister amorous anecdote wastes both Jean-Paul Belmondo(Lauzun) and Philippe Noiret (His Majesty).This is the only one which justify the title,though.

The second one is the story of Jenny Lacour ,a courtesan from the end of the nineteenth century who throws acid at her unfaithful lover.Two good actors -Simone Signoret and Pierre Vaneck-cannot save the rather tepid directing.It looks like a poor man's Guy de Maupassant.

The third one is the most entertaining if by no means enthralling:the action takes place in Bayern in the Middle Ages where a maiden (Brigitte Bardot!!!) seduces a prince (Alain Delon).But it's not Cinderella all over again because the young man's wicked father is watchful,and the story will tragically end.Brigitte Bardot is miscast as the lead but nowadays,it's for her that most of the people will see the whole movie.There's a good supporting cast,with Suzanne Flon playing some kind of Godmother -but without a magic wand-,and Jean-Claude Brialy as an invert,the only unusual thing in a routine story.

The fourth one takes us to Napoleon's reign.Rivalry between two thespians (Edwige Feuillère and Annie Girardot)in Talma theater.

The movie made up of sketches is,in France, Julien Duvivier's field.Boisrond is no match for him and his movie can easily be dismissed.