Capitaine Conan
Capitaine Conan is a 1996 French film that is directed by Bertrand Tavernier. The film is based on the 1934 Prix Goncourt-winning novel Captain Conan (Fr. Capitaine Conan) by Roger Vercel.[1]
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[edit] Plot
After World War I, French infantry officer Capitaine Conan and the men that he commands find it difficult to remain in Bucharest, mobilized while ordered not to fight. They are subject to attacks from Romanian Bolsheviks to which they cannot take pre-emptive action. They are tired of guard duty and state dinners. Their anger causes them to resort to crimes. The crimes cause court-martial proceedings.[2] Captaine Conan and Lt. Norbert team up to save the life of a man who is sentenced to death for a desertion that he claims he didn't commit.[3]
[edit] Cast
- Philippe Torreton : Conan
- Samuel Le Bihan : Norbert
- Bernard Le Coq : Lieutenant de Scève
- Catherine Rich : Madeleine Erlane
- François Berléand : Commandant Bouvier
- Claude Rich : General Pitard de Lauzier
- Cécile Vassort : Georgette
- André Falcon : Colonel Voirin
- Claude Brosset : Father Dubreuil
- Crina Muresan : Ilyana
- Cécile Vassort : Georgette
- François Levantal : Forgeol
- Pierre Val : Jean Erlane
- Roger Knobelspiess : Major Cuypene
- Frédéric Pierrot : Conductor
- Jean-Claude Calon : Officier greffier Loisy
- Laurent Schilling : Beuillard
- Jean-Yves Roan : Rouzic
- Philippe Héliès : Grenais
- Tonio Descanvelle : Caboulet
- Eric Savin : Gunsmith
- Olivier Loustau : Mahut
- Jean-Marie Juan : Lethore
- Jean-Christophe Chavanon : sentinelle de Scève
- Christophe Calmel : soldat 2 de Scève
- J.P. Monaghan : English major
- Laurent Bateau : soldier Perrin
- Tervelt Nikolov : soldier bulgare
- Eric Dufay : Lieutenant Fideli
- Philippe Frécon : Cook Ménard
- Diana Radu : serveuse café Sokol
- Michel Charvaz : sergent café Sokol
- Patrick Delage : serveur Messinge
- Patrick Brossard : Riquiou
- Yvon Crenn : ordonnance Floch
- Christophe Odent : Cabanel
- Franck Jazédé : Havrecourt
- Dominique Compagnon : Morel
- Pascal Guérin : Soldier latecomer
- Christophe Vandevelde : soldier classe II
- Maria Pitarresi : infirmière train
- Patrice Verdeil : soldier "quart d'eau"
- Frédéric Diefenthal : sergent gare Bucarest
- Daniel Langlet : High School Director
- Luminiţa Anghel : singer tavern
- Hubert Ravel : soldiert patrouille Norbert
- Philippe Lelièvre and Bruno Therasse : gendarmes whorehouse
- Laurent Labasse : Raoul Fourrier
- Eric Thannberger : Louberac
- Sandrine Desio : Fréhel
[edit] Reception
The film has two out of three fresh reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, even though there are more reviews listed.[4]
Janet Maslin, of The New York Times, said that Mr. Torreton powerfully embodies the film's central questions of what a fighter becomes without combat and where the values inherent in savage battle may lead.[5] Ken Fox, of TV Guide, said beautiful as it is brutal and that it is one of the best war films of recent years.[6] Alex Albanese, of Box Office, said that the film is finely wrought—as hard, precise and heartbreaking as its title character.[7]
[edit] Awards
Bertrand Tavernier won the César Award for Best Director and Phillippe Torreton won the César Award for Best Actor.[8] The film was nominated for Best French Film at the César Awards. The film was nominated for Film Presented at the Telluride Film Festival.[9]
[edit] DVD release
The DVD is in French with English subtitles, widescreen, and has a 2.0-channel PCM audio mix. The only special feature on the DVD is Un Film Sur Bertrand Tavernie, a fifty-four minute documentary about the making of the film. The release date of the DVD was December 19, 2000.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ Purseigle, Pierre (2008). "A very French debate: the 1914-1918 'war culture'.". Journal of War & Culture Studies. http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/31187005/A-very-French-debate-the-19141918-war-culture. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Murray, Noel (1998-11-30). "Capitaine Conan". Nashville Scene. http://www.filmvault.com/filmvault/nash/c/capitaineconan1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (1997-10-10). "Capitaine Conan". The Los Angeles Times. http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie971014-8,0,4367742.story. Retrieved 2010-01-09.[dead link]
- ^ "Capitaine Conan (1996)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/capitaine_conan/. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (1997-09-10). "Captain Conan (1996)". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=2&res=9B04E4DB1439F933A2575AC0A961958260&partner=Rotten%20Tomatoes. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Fox, Ken. "Capitaine Conan: Review". TV Guide. http://movies.tvguide.com/capitaine-conan/review/132737. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Albanese, Alex (2008-08-01). "Capitaine Conan". Box Office Magazine. http://boxoffice.com/reviews/2008/08/capitaine-conan.php. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Neff, Renfreu. "CAPITAINE CONAN". Film Journal. http://www.filmjournal.com/filmjournal/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000698543. Retrieved 2010-01-10.[dead link]
- ^ "Capitaine Conan Awards". Moviefone. http://www.moviefone.com/movie/capitaine-conan/3657/awards. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
- ^ Heaton, Dan. "Capitaine Conan". AllMovie. http://www.allmovie.com/dvd/capitaine-conan-14749. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
