Indochine (1992)

Director:

Régis Wargnier

Writers:

Erik Orsenna (original scenario & adaptation and dialogue) &
Louis Gardel (original scenario & adaptation and dialogue) ...
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Release Date:

23 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Political Assassination | Historical | Tango | Southeast Asia | Travelling Players

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Catherine Deneuve	...	Eliane
Vincent Perez	...	Jean-Baptiste
Linh Dan Pham	...	Camille
Jean Yanne	...	Guy
Dominique Blanc	...	Yvette
Henri Marteau	...	Emile
Carlo Brandt	...	Castellani
Gérard Lartigau	...	L'Admiral
Hubert Saint-Macary	...	Raymond (as Hubert Saint Macary)
Andrzej Seweryn	...	Hebrard
Mai Chau	...	Shen
Alain Fromager	...	Dominique
Chu Hung	...	Mari de Sao
Jean-Baptiste Huynh	...	Étienne, adulte
Thibault de Montalembert	...	Charles-Henri (as Thibault De Montalembert)
Eric Nguyen	...	Tanh
Trinh Thinh	...	Minh (as Trinh Van Thinh)
Tien Tho	...	Xuy
Thi Hoe Tranh Huu Trieu	...	Mme. Minh Tam
Nguyen Lan Trung	...	Kim
Nhu Quynh	...	Sao
Michel Voïta	...	Edmont de Beaufort
Martin Barre Astich	...	Enfant motte de terre
Lam Binh	...	Mourante mission
Tat Binh	...	Le notable
Nguyen Huu Bong	...	Client Mme Minh Tam
Jean-Pierre Debris	...	Père Roland
Clayton Dowty	...	Charlotte
Anoy Ew Lek Ee	...	L'enfant sampan
Edgar Givry	...	Commissaire priseur
Quang Hai	...	Frère de On Dinh
Ngo Hoa	...	Vieux mandarin
Ba Hoang	...	Camille à 5 ans
Hong Khien	...	Matrone accoutheuse
Gia Khoan	...	Acteur danseur oiseau
Huang Kiem	...	Acteur Kim Lan (as Hoang Kiem)
M. Lap	...	Vieux monsieur aux bésicles
Anna Lim	...	Vieille chinoise
Van Quy	...	Fils de Sao (16 ans)
Dhevaakar Suppiah	...	Sarair
Mme Ta	...	La douairiére
Julie Tan	...	Hoa
Thoy Ten	...	Acrtrice danseuse oiseau
Ngoc Thoa	...	Prisonnière Poula Condor
Van Thoi Nguyen	...	Trang Vonh (as Nguyen Van Thoi)
Truong Thu	...	Fils de Sao (12 ans) (as Trong Thuy)
Jean de Trégomain	...	Lieutenant village allaitement (as Jean De Tregomain)
Dang Si Van	...	The Old Man in Tonkin
Hai Yen	...	Musicien théâtre

Directed by
Régis Wargnier

Writing credits
Erik Orsenna		(original scenario & adaptation and dialogue) &
Louis Gardel		(original scenario & adaptation and dialogue) and
Catherine Cohen		(original scenario & adaptation and dialogue) &
Régis Wargnier		(original scenario & adaptation and dialogue)
Alain Le Henry		uncredited

Produced by
Alain Belmondo	....	executive producer
Gérard Crosnier	....	line producer
Pierre Héros	....	associate producer
Eric Heumann	....	producer
Jean Labadie	....	producer
Alain Vannier	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
François Catonné

Film Editing by
Agnès Schwab
Geneviève Winding

Casting by
Pierre Amzallag
Laurent Soulet

Production Design by
Jacques Bufnoir

Art Direction by
Jacques Bufnoir

Set Decoration by
Marc Balzarelli
Périne Barre
Sylvain Chauvelot

Costume Design by
Pierre-Yves Gayraud
Gabriella Pescucci

Makeup Department
Loli Avellanas	....	hair stylist (as Lolita Avellanas)
Cédric Gérard	....	makeup artist
Patrick Girault	....	hair stylist
Agathe Moro	....	hair stylist
Jean-Christophe Roger	....	makeup artist: Switzerland

Production Management
Claude Albouze	....	production manager
Olli Barbé	....	unit manager (as Olivier Barbe)
Daniel Baschieri	....	unit manager
Claude Canaple	....	unit manager
Ainsley De Silva	....	production manager: Malaysia
Jean de Trégomain	....	production manager
Frédéric Doniguian	....	unit manager
Arnaud Dupont	....	unit manager
Edi Hubschmid	....	production manager: Switzerland
Jayantha Jayatilaka	....	unit manager: Malaysia
Carmen Lima	....	unit manager
Xavier Machain	....	unit manager
Richard Nataf	....	unit manager
Pierre Nicolas	....	unit manager
Patrick Pinel	....	unit manager
Clément Sentilhes	....	assistant unit manager
Florence Tanguy	....	unit manager
Olivier Thaon	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thierry Binisti	....	assistant director
Jacques Cluzaud	....	assistant director
Patrick Halpine	....	assistant director
Emmanuel Hamon	....	assistant director
Anna Lim	....	third assistant director: Malaysia
Marco Rivard	....	assistant director (as Marc Rivard)
Nguyen Lan Trung	....	assistant director

Art Department
Gerard Bouguet	....	head carpenter
Claudine Bufnoir	....	assistant set decorator
Eric Chemel	....	property master
Alain Guffroy	....	assistant set decorator
Lal Harindranath	....	assistant art director
Errol Kelly	....	set decorator: Malaysia
Jean-Pierre Masson	....	chief construction grip
Senaka Nawaratne	....	assistant set decorator: Malaysia
Victor Piazza	....	head painter
Jean Poinot	....	head of construction
Jean-Yves Rabier	....	assistant set decorator
Jean-Michel Sadoine	....	property master: Switzerland
Guy Vanderplaetsen	....	property master
Sunil Wijeratne	....	assistant set decorator: Malaysia

Sound Department
Fabien Adelin	....	post-synchronization
Gilbert Crozet	....	post-synchronisation
Eric Ferret	....	foley artist
Patrice Grisolet	....	sound editor
Katrina Heaulme	....	sound editor
Dominique Hennequin	....	sound
Julie Jouaffre	....	sound editor
Jean-Louis Lebras	....	post-synchronization
Dominique Levert	....	sound engineer: Switzerland
Jérôme Lévy	....	foley artist
Pascal Mazière	....	foley artist (as Pascal Maziere)
Didier Pêcheur	....	sound
Joël Rangon	....	sound mixer (as Joel Rangon)
Guillaume Sciama	....	sound

Special Effects by
Philippe Hubin	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Michel Anquetil	....	grip: Switzerland
Claude Atanassian	....	electrician
Michel Atanassian	....	electrician
Maurice Baltel	....	grip: Switzerland
Laurent Barès	....	camera operator
Bernard Brégier	....	key grip
Gerard Buffard	....	grip
Kevin Christopher	....	grip: Malaysia
Bernard Estève	....	grip: Switzerland (as Bernard Esteve)
Michel Garçon	....	electrician
U.G.S. Gunathileke	....	grip: Malaysia
Jean-Marie Leroy	....	still photographer
Nihal Mallawarachchi	....	electrician: Malaysia
Jean-Paul Meurisse	....	camera operator
Jacques Monge	....	camera operator
Emmanuel Paulin	....	camera operator
Thilak Pushpakumara	....	electrician: Malaysia
Gérard Rival	....	grip (as Gerard Rival)
Yvon Sausseau	....	key grip: Switzerland
Eric Wiser	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Sylvester Thomas	....	casting: Malaysia

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nathalie Chesnais	....	costumer
Christiane Fageol	....	costumer
Tess Hammami	....	costume supervisor
Carlo Poggioli	....	assistant costume designer
Alberto Spiazzi	....	costumer
Tess	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Mathilde Cousin	....	assistant film editor
Andre Mallegol	....	assistant film editor
Yvan Lucas	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Lawrence Ashmore	....	orchestrator
Henri Christiné	....	composer: song "La Baya"
Tonia Davall	....	orchestra contractor
Chris Dibble	....	music mixer
William Kraft	....	conductor (as William Craft)
Declan McGovern	....	assistant music mixer
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor
Maggie Rodford	....	music supervisor
Maurice Yvain	....	composer: song "La môme Caoutchouc"

Other crew
Lylie Almedia	....	account assistant (as Lylie Almeida)
Francine Cathelain	....	script
Nicole Cavillon	....	administrator
Aloysius Chan	....	location manager: Malaysia
Michel Conche	....	location manager
François d'Artemare	....	production assistant
Isabelle Dassonville	....	production secretary
Bruno Florentin	....	administrator
Chris Gandois	....	choreographer
Martin Grange	....	location manager
Nelly Krowolski	....	consultant: history
Nicole Lenfant	....	administrator
Pascal Morin	....	location manager
Nausicaa Palau	....	production secretary
Asoka Perera	....	production consultant: Malaysia
Roselyne Rivalain	....	administrator
Isabelle Rosais	....	production assistant
Benjamin Stora	....	consultant: history
Claudine Taulère	....	script
Cécile Tostivint	....	administrator
Jean-Pierre Vincent	....	press attache
Marie-Noëlle Zurstrassen	....	script

Production Companies

• Paradis Films
• La Générale d'Images
• Bac Films
• Orly Films
• Ciné Cinq
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (particiapation)
• Le Club des Investisseurs (particiapation)
• Canal+ (particiapation)

Distributors

• Bac Films (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• TF1 Vidéo (1998) (France) (DVD)
• Belas Artès Cinématografica (1993) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Cine Company S.A. (1992) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Herald Ace (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (1992) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Transmundo Films (1992) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (USA) (DVD)
• Transmundo Home Video (THV) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Air-Edel Associates  music supervision
• C.D.C. Participations  funding
• Credit Lyonnais  funding
• Credit National l'Epargne de France Société  funding (as L'Epargne de France)
• Studios CTS  music recording studio: Wembley
• WEA Music  soundtrack album published by

Also Known As:

Indochina (USA)

Runtime:

Argentina:148 min (cut version) | France:159 min | Spain:159 min | USA:153 min (cut version)

Country:

France

Language:

French | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:14 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Paradis Films

Goofs:

Continuity: 42m 19s: One raw block of rubber reappears on the table after it has already been fed through the flattening machine.

Quotes:

Yvette: The truth is nobody here likes you. Even the trees wouldn't grow if they had a choice!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Holiday (2006)

Foreshadows the American failure in Vietnam

There is some difference of opinion about whether this is a good film or not. Some have called it a "soap opera" beautifully filmed. (Both Leonard Maltin in his Movie and Video Guide and the good people at Video Hound used that designation.) But I don't think that is correct at all. Beautifully filmed yes, stunning at times like something from David Lean; and in fact this film has more in common with the Hollywood panoramic epic than it does with the tradition of the French cinema. But it is certainly not a soap opera. In a soap opera the important element is a narrow focus on things material, social, and sexual played out in a banal, cliche-ridden and bourgeois manner. In Indochine the focus is on political change and why it came about.

The story begins in Vietnam in 1930 and concludes on the eve of the communist revolution in 1954--presaging the tragic American involvement a decade later. Catherine Deneuve plays Eliane Devries, the strong-willed owner of a rubber plantation in Vietnam, then part of the French colonial empire. Having no children of her own (or a husband) she raises the Vietnamese girl Camille (Linh Dan Pham) as her own. She conducts secret affairs (and even visits opium dens) while maintaining the appearance of respectability. We are shown the decadence of the French living in Vietnam and the exploitive evils of colonialism, hardy the stuff of soap opera. We are made aware of the social unrest stirring amongst the population and even shown what amounts to a slave auction conducted by the colonial powers with the aid of the French military, in particular, the French navy.

Enter Jean-Baptiste (Vincent Perez), a handsome French naval officer who, despite the difference in their ages, initiates an affair with Eliane. She is at first put off, then reluctant, and then madly in love. Perhaps this familiar progression is what some think of as soap opera material; and perhaps it is, although their affair is only a small part of the film, and at any rate, such behavior is entirely consistent with Eliane's character and that of Jean-Baptiste, and is necessary for the plot developments to come.

Deneuve was nominated for Best Actress by the Academy but didn't win (Emma Thompson won for Howard's End), but the film itself won as Best Foreign Film. In truth Deneuve's performance is a little uneven. Regardless, this is one of the most important roles in the career of an actress who was as beautiful in 1991 when this film was made as she had been in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) at the beginning of her career. Indeed, I would say even more beautiful. My favorite Deneuve film, by the way, is Mississippi Mermaid (1969) with Jean-Paul Belmondo directed by Francois Truffaut.

Also uneven is the direction by Regis Wargnier. The scenes set in Saigon involving the French and the Mandarins at their pleasures amid their wealth as they maintain their privilege are done with strikingly beautiful interiors splashed with the kind of color seen in, for example, the films of Chinese director Zhang Yimou. The scenes amount to indictments of the French and demonstrate why the communists eventually came to power. Note that the privileged are always decked out in the most amazing displays of color while the workers and the peasants are brown and dirty.

The panoramic cinematography of the Vietnamese country is also strikingly beautiful. We are shown the sheer cliffs falling into tranquil waters dotted with junks, the rock outcrops nestled in verdant growth, the angry skies, and the deluge of the monsoon. But the trek of Camille across the land to find her beloved is not realistically done. Her quick incorporation in a peasant family is also not convincing. And the following scene in which she and Jean-Baptiste escape from the slave market defies probability. However what becomes of her and him is brutally realistic and consistent with what we know about those times, although I would like to have seen them being fed when they are rescued and some indication of how they spent their time in that Shangri-la-like hidden valley.

Despite the flaws and inconsistencies, this is a fine cinematic experience, enthralling, disturbing and visually beautiful. See this as a prelude to all other films about Vietnam and the Vietnam War. What will become clear is how foolish was our involvement and how doomed to failure it had to be.