Le divorce (2003)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

James Ivory

Writers (WGA):

Diane Johnson (novel)
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 August 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Everything sounds sexier in French.

Plot:

French vs. American social customs and behaviors are observed in a story about an American visiting her Frenchman-wed sister in Paris. |

Plot Keywords:

Auction | Painting | Chick Flick | Purse | Family Relationships

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Kate Hudson	...	Isabel Walker
Jean-Marie Lhomme	...	Immigration Officer
Naomi Watts	...	Roxeanne de Persand
Esmée Buchet-Deàk	...	Gennie de Persand
Jean-Jacques Pivert	...	Talkative Shopkeeper
Melvil Poupaud	...	Charles-Henri de Persand
Catherine Samie	...	Madame Florian
Samuel Labarthe	...	Antoine de Persand
Leslie Caron	...	Suzanne de Persand
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Edgar Cosset
Nathalie Richard	...	Charlotte de Persand
Samuel Gruen	...	de Persand Child
Peter Wyckoff	...	de Persand Child
Sandrel Lonnoy	...	Maid
Glenn Close	...	Olivia Pace

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:117 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Malaysia:(Banned) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Café de Flore - 172 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6, Paris, France

Company:

Merchant Ivory Productions

Trivia:

The painting sold before Roxy's LaTour is Claude-Joseph Vernet's "La Nuit, au Port au Clair de Lune", which is in the Louvre's permanent collection.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Isabel gets out of the taxi the driver closes the back, but when Charles-Henri hands the driver his bag the back is open again.

Quotes:

Olivia Pace: Today, they are victms, tomorrow, who knows? Because the world is ruled by hawks and arms dealers and minority phobias.

Movie Connections:

References Le ballon rouge (1956)

Soundtrack:

Mazurka No.16, Opus 24 # 3

Ah, Paris!

I went to see this with a very good friend of mine and expected (sort of) to not like the movie because it's set in France. To my surprise, I found it more thoughtful and fun than I expected. As I was watching it, I got the feeling that many who watch this movie are not going to "get it". Many will believe this movie to be a badly written romantic comedy, and completely overlook the fact that the movie is trying to juxtapose the American way of thinking with the French way of thinking about divorce and adultery.

When viewed in this context, Le Divorce becomes an interesting commentary. Of course, I do not know whether the observations about France are correct, since I have never visited the place and have very little experience with the French. Since there are many accurate perspectives to any single thing, I am willing to bet that the perspective presented of the French is accurate. What was the most interesting thing I found about this movie is that the French, famed romantics, are portrayed as less romantic and more adulterous than the Americans.

If you are looking for a romantic comedy, you will not find it in Le Divorce. But, if you are looking for a novel view of the French juxtaposed with the view of Americans, then this is the movie for you. I gave this an 8 because I thought it deserved a 7.6.