Comments on: Film Review: Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

By: My Inner French Girl

My Inner French Girl — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:26:00 +0000

Dear Betty, bonjour! I just found some Dutronc videos on Youtube that I love. Thank you for letting me know about his musical career! I'll be posting some of the videos up here in a moment.

Salut,
Marjorie

By: Betty C.

Betty C. — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:08:00 +0000

I did read the bio…very interesting.

No, I don’t think Dutronc’s music would be easily available in the USA. He wasn’t exactly a major singer — but he did some great songs.

By: My Inner French Girl

My Inner French Girl — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:14:00 +0000

Dear Betty, I'll have to get that CD and see the van Gogh film. Van Gogh's my favorite painter -- did you ever read Irving Stone's bio? Heartbreaking.

Our libraries don't carry any of his music (shocking), but I'll check it out after we move and I can start ordering stuff from Amazon. Merci!

Dear AS, I know what you mean about Fontaine's looks! I always thought that was a horrible conceit of Hollywood, casting these perfectly gorgeous actors for "homely" roles. Whatever. I always thought she was much prettier than Olivia de Havilland, although the latter has more spirit and spunk.

Didn't Fontaine star in another Hitchcock film? I need to go back and see some of the others. It just snowed again, and I'm yearning for an afternoon staying in watching old films.

Salut,
Marjorie

By: astarte's student

astarte's student — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:12:00 +0000

This was the second time I’d seen Rebecca, but the first time was so long ago that I didn’t remember everything. I love that movie! I think it takes a lot of skill to make it seem romantic even through the male chauvinism of the era. I also thought it was funny how they kept acting like Joan Fontaine was the homely second wife, when I thought she was quite pretty! She does a great job in that film. I need to see Suspicion now!

By: Betty C.

Betty C. — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:33:00 +0000

He sang that great song “Il est cinq heures, Paris s’éveille…” A “best of” CD or collection would certainly give you access to the most interesting numbers.

As an actor, he was also brilliant as Vincent Van Gogh in the movie which I think is just called “Van Gogh.”

By: My Inner French Girl

My Inner French Girl — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Dear Betty, you know, I didn't even know he was a singer until I read his profile on IMDB. I definitely want to check him out now. Although he was believable as the pianist in this film, I couldn't believe he's an actual professional singer in real-life. Although I guess he does have that sort of smoky, world-weary look about him that he shares with a ton of old-timey jazz musicians!

Dear Joanne, well, most of the film takes place indoors, but the views of Lausanne that you do see are gorgeous just the same. I wonder if Xav would pick up the different accents (as I imagine a French accent would be different from a Swiss-French accent.

Coincidentally, I love Emmanuelle Beart, although I've never seen her in films. I've always just thought she had the most interesting face. I think I have that film on my Netflix queue, so I'll move it up!

Cher Randal, aww, you know I'm just teasing. The thing about Netflix is that once you get started, it gets obsessive. But I guess there are worst things to be obsessed about than foreign films. Especially good foreign films.

Dear AS, had you seen Rebecca before? Isn't it a fantastic film? I haven't seen it in years, but I remember thinking how awesome the writing, lighting, and acting were. I'd always thought of Olivier as being a stiff-upper-lip, Shakespearean actor, but this film changed my mind about him completely.

I don't remember much of Fontaine's wardrobe, but I can imagine they were beautiful. I always thought women's clothing in the 1930s and 1940s were so...cool. They invented the term "impeccably dressed" for that era.

Salut,
Marjorie

By: astarte's student

astarte's student — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:42:00 +0000

Speaking of fashion…we watched the movie Rebecca the other night. I thought it was funny that I was admiring Joan Fontaine’s cute little outfits while Maxim’s sister Bea commented that she might be a little lacking in her fashion. ;D (Bea’s fashion looked rather dreary, in my opinion!)

By: Randal Graves

Randal Graves — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Of course all of my free time is spent writing fabulous verse.

That, or I’m just the laziest man around. But between you and LBR, I have about five movies to add to the queue once I do sign up!

By: joanne

joanne — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:34:00 +0000

I’d sign up for Netflix just to order this movie. Xav went to college in Lausanne so maybe he’ll be interested in seeing it too. It looks like the movie was filmed during his 2nd to last year in school so he should be able to recognize the area. By the way, I’d been meaning to recommend the movie Un Coeur En Hiver (A Heart in Winter) starring Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuel Beart to you. I would describe it, but the reviewers of Amazon.com (or any other film sites) do a much better job.

By: Betty C.

Betty C. — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:30:00 +0000

I’ve missed out on so many French films…I’d like to see this one. I’m crazy about Isabelle Huppert and Jacques DuTronc. Have you listened to much of his music, by the way?