 |
St. Pierre |
(2001 U.S.) |
|
|
| Directed by Patrice Leconte Starring: Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil, Emir Kusturica, Michel Duchaussoy, Philippe Magnan, Christian Charmetant Producers: Frédéric Brillion, Gilles Legrand Screenplay: Claude Faraldo Distributor: Lions Gate Films |
 | ||
Rating:  (out of )The Widow of St. Pierre touches on a controversial issue - whether a murderer deserves another chance in our society. The long battle over the death penalty in this country has spurred the idea for a film such as this, even though it's from France. The question goes even further, however - can a murderer be rehabilitated, or does evil deserve the death penalty without equivocation? This question is played out with the backdrop of a French territory, Saint-Pierre, an island off of Newfoundland, set in the 1850s. Director Claude Faraldo has chosen two of France's best and most well-known actors in Juliette Binoche (Chocolat) and Daniel Auteuil (Un Coeur En Hiver) to deliver the story. Also, Yugoslavian director Emir Kusturica plays Neel Auguste, the man who is awaiting execution for a senseless murder. The story is delivered with great attention paid to the smallest details, with an emphasis on the three characters and the townspeople around them. As with most character-driven films, it moves slowly at first to develop the characters, then pays off handsomely in the end when you have invested time in them. Neel has been found guilty of murder, although he committed the crime when he was drunk, and has been sentenced to execution by the guillotine. But there's one problem, the town of Saint-Pierre doesn't have one, and it must be requested from the French government, which takes time. In the meanwhile, the Captain of the French military on the island (Auteuil) is charged with holding him in prison until the time arrives. The Captain's wife, Madame La (Binoche), has sympathy for Neel, and is allowed to take him out for work in her greenhouse. Eventually, Neel is allowed to help many townspeople with various projects, and begins to show that he is truly sorry for what he has done and is determined to make up for his mistake. He quickly becomes a favorite in the town, and once the guillotine finally arives from France, no one is willing to become executioner for his demise. The Captain has also refused to carry out the verdict, which puts him in grave danger of being court-marshalled and tried for treason. The film's cinematography is near masterful - Faraldo has effectively captured not only the convincing pictures that accompany the story, but also the mood that is brooding over the film. He cleverly conveys feelings and thoughts in the main characters' minds as each scene unfolds. Take for instance the scene where Madame La takes Neel for his first work voluntarily in the bitter cold that surrounds them. The feeling of this scene appropriately matches her uphill battle against the society around her, to prove that Neel is worth saving. Although all the performances in the film are inspiring, Binoche reaches a rare level of acting. She masterfully conveys her hidden feelings and motives on her face in every scene - you know there's much more there than just her words. It's such a good performance, you quickly wince at the idea that her performance in Chocolat was its equal. Here she is wonderful - we realize her deep love for her husband, but at the same time her intense desire to save Neel from the inevitable. It's a joy to watch. It's true that the death penalty is at the forefront of your mind as you view the film, but is it at the heart of what Faraldo is trying to portray to his audience? I think at the inner most parts of the film, he gives himself away. The intense, deep love between Madame La and Auteuil is so delicately shown, that most will probably miss it. Consider the scene where Auteuil senses that his wife wants to save Neel - he probably disagrees, but out of his love for his wife's happiness, he agrees to let Neel help her reach her goals. And, of course, his stand against the governor to not carry out the execution; is this his true position, or just his stand with his wife's strong beliefs? If there's any doubt, consider his chivalry when his wife's honor is ever threatened throughout the film. He doesn't just love his wife, he lives through her. The title of the film has several meanings, which the viewer will quickly discover as the story moves along. It's a clever title, and one in which I hope many other films will take notice (some titles these days are borderline juvenile). The Widow of St. Pierre delivers a message of hope for those lost in the misery of their mistakes, and how society can forgive those who have committed terrible acts against them. It may be anti-capital punishment, but the argument is a good one, there's no denying that. Although I don't agree with it, it is a discussion that is worth pursuing. And isn't that what films should be about? To make you think, to challenge your norms, and to force you to have an opinion? There's no question this film certainly does, and has a touching story to go with it. © 2001 Jonathan Cornwell | |||
 |
| Masterpiece - Movie perfection |
 | Excellent - One of the best films of the year |
| Good - Recommended |
| Fair - Worth a look |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
All movie pictures are registered trademarks and/or copyrights of their respective holders
Their use on this site is for informational purposes only and does not imply ownership