The Hour of the Pig (1993)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Leslie Megahey

Writer:

Leslie Megahey (written by)

Release Date:

24 August 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History | Mystery

Tagline:

When murder is the motive, seduction is the last defense.

Plot:

In medieval France, young lawyer Richard Courtois leaves Paris for the simpler life in the country. However...

Plot Keywords:

France | Animal | Paris | Gypsy | Medieval

Cast

Colin Firth	...	Richard Courtois
Ian Holm	...	Albertus
Donald Pleasence	...	Pincheon
Amina Annabi	...	Samira
Nicol Williamson	...	Seigneur Jehan d'Auferre
Michael Gough	...	Magistrate Boniface
Harriet Walter	...	Jeannine Martin
Jim Carter	...	Mathieu
Lysette Anthony	...	Filette d'Auferre
Sophie Dix	...	Maria
Vincent Grass	...	Bailiff Labatier
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Madame Langlois
Raoul Delfosse	...	Blind George
Justin Chadwick	...	Gerard d'Auferre
Jean-Pierre Stewart	...	Sheriff

Also Known As:

The Advocate

Runtime:

UK:112 min | USA:102 min

Country:

France | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ealing Studios, Ealing, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the epilogue crawl, the character name Mathieu is spelled once correctly, and in a subsequent paragraph as Mathiew.

Quotes:

Albertius: ...why, I myself saw the Bishop of Rheims pronounce the act of anathema against a swarm of locusts.
Richard Courtois: Really? How did they take it?
Albertius: Difficult to say with locusts.

Soundtrack:

Quant Voi en la Fin D'este

Interesting

Another missing review! So here we go again: Colin Firth is a medieval lawyer who somewhat inexplicably ends up defending a pig accused of murder! As grim as some of the film is, this is basically a satire or black comedy. It is no NAME OF THE ROSE, as some claim, but it is not a total disaster either. The topics touched on throughout this odd drama are as timely today as they were then: bigotry, power, ignorance, superstition, venality, and so on. Several veteran British actors have parts in this French-British co-production, including Ian Holm, Michael Gough, Donald Pleasance and Nicol Williamson. The movie went through a very curious name change when it reached these shores. To say the American title is not terribly descriptive and downright dull is an understatement. Check it out.