Fort Saganne (1984)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Alain Corneau

Writers:

Alain Corneau (adaptation)
Alain Corneau (dialogue)
(more)

Release Date:

11 May 1984 (France)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Plot:

French civilization in the desert. Saganne is of peasant stock, with courage and a forceful will. In 1911...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Historical | Algeria | Female Nudity | Foreign Legion

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Charles Saganne
Philippe Noiret	...	Dubreuilh
Catherine Deneuve	...	Louise
Sophie Marceau	...	Madeleine of Saint-Ilette
Michel Duchaussoy	...	Baculard
Roger Dumas	...	Vulpi
Jean-Louis Richard	...	Flammarin
Jean-Laurent Cochet	...	Bertozza
Pierre Tornade	...	Charles' Father
Saïd Amadis	...	Amajar
René Clermont	...	Monsieur de Saint-Ilette
Philippe Deplanche
Hippolyte Girardot	...	Courette
Sophie Grimaldi	...	Lady of Saint-Ilette
Florent Pagny	...	Lucien
Robin Renucci	...	Hazan
Salah Teskouk	...	Embarek
Mohamed Djamal Allam
Daniel Aubert
Teddy Bilis	...	Baron Soucy
Nicole Camus
Med Salah Cheurfi
Helga Hertzog
El Kebir
Grégoire Lavollay-Porter
Laurent Lavollay-Porter
Dahbia Maouch
Charles Marosi
Hadrami Ould Meidah
Myriam Perigois
Ernest von Rintelen
Catherine Rethi
Zakia Tahri
Lounès Tazairt
Tatiana Vialle	...	Jeanne

Directed by
Alain Corneau

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alain Corneau		adaptation
Alain Corneau		dialogue
Louis Gardel		adaptation
Louis Gardel		dialogue
Louis Gardel		novel
Henri de Turenne		adaptation
Henri de Turenne		dialogue

Produced by
Samuel Bronston	....	producer
Albina du Boisrouvray	....	producer

Original Music by
Philippe Sarde

Cinematography by
Bruno Nuytten

Film Editing by
Thierry Derocles
Robert Lawrence

Production Design by
Veniero Colasanti

Costume Design by
Veniero Colasanti
Rosine Delamare
Corinne Jorry

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Hubert	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Michèle Abbé-Vannier	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Vincent Arnardi	....	sound engineer audi
Bernard Chaumeil	....	boom operator
William Flageollet	....	sound
Pierre Gamet	....	sound
Jean-Paul Loublier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Claude Villand	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Georges Pierre	....	still photographer
Gérard Rival	....	grip

Music Department
Xavier Gagnepain	....	musician: cello solo
Nat Peck	....	orchestra director
Carlo Savina	....	conductor

Production Companies

• Albina Productions S.a.r.l.
• Films A2
• Société Française de Production (SFP)

Distributors

• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• Connoisseur Video (USA) (video) (subtitled)
• Europa Carat (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  orchestra
• Studio Philippe Sarde  recording studio

Runtime:

180 min | Argentina:182 min | Canada:185 min | France:154 min (cut version) | UK:175 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | France:U | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Abbaye du Moncel, Pontpoint, Oise, France

Company:

Albina Productions S.a.r.l.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Joyeuses Pâques (1984)

too long, too careful

The problem with this film is that nothing is left for the viewer to assume, deduce, or imagine. Everything which one might need to know in order to understand the full narrative is shown, in detail - and the audience doesn't need that: as a result the film lasts .... what? two and a half hours? .... at least half an hour of which is certainly dead matter. There are some very impressive incidents, but the impact is muffled. I can't help feeling too, that, given that Corneau seems to want to make the most of his setting and given what that setting is, even the photography represents a wasted opportunity. It's dramatic, but it could have stood you still. Imagination needed!