The Horseman on the Roof (B or 3/4 stars)
Picture it: pastoral France, 1832 - the setting for 'The Horseman on the Roof' (directed by Jean-Paul Rappenau, Cyrano de Bergerac), an old-fashioned, sweeping epic romance from a bygone era. Napoleon has died, leaving behind a powerless nation. The Austrian empire is attempting a takeover of Italy, & many Italian patriots have fled to neighboring France to continue the fight from over there. Meanwhile, a cholera epidemic sweeps across France like wildfire; wiping out the unprepared populace of entire villages & generating a widespread fear of everyone. Soldiers patrol the sickly countryside enforcing strict quarantines along the way. It's a grim era, and many superstitious townsfolk think that God's ultimate judgment is upon them.
The 2 protagonists in this tale are Angelo Pardi (a handsome Olivier Martinez), one of the aforementioned Italian exiled patriots, and Pauline de Theus (a beguiling Juliette Binoche), a married French noblewoman. The narrative opens with Angelo escaping from a trio of Austrian assassins & fleeing to the city of Manosque; taking to the rooftops as riots break-out in the streets below. When a storm strikes, he (and his feline buddy) finds shelter in a stately house below. The woman living there is, of course, Pauline. Upon finding him, she reacts - not with fear - but with a calm; inviting him to a hot cup of tea. From here, they embark on a horse ride across France to reunite Pauline with her husband & send Angelo back to Italy (and his adoring mother).
The relationship btwn. Angelo & Pauline is chaste, mostly because she is hell bent to remain faithful to her MIA much-older husband. In fact, Angelo & Pauline never even share a kiss. But you can tell they are attracted to each other. He is determined to keep her safe through their dangerous countryside adventures. And she looks at him longingly. They respect one another. Love & emotion aside, this film's strong suit is its spectacle. There's action, adventure, sweeping music, gorgeous locales, beautiful sets/costumes, and ... well, who doesn't love to see some cholera-afflicted corpses?
This is a big budget film (the most expensive France has ever made). Yes, France. That means there are subtitles. But don't let that dissuade you. The melodrama is kept intact. There are moments of lavish beauty. There are moments of pure horror (Angelo finding an abandoned house with crows gorging on pasty human cadavers). Now, I would have liked a more powerful romance – a little more heat/passion. I'm not in love with the movie. But this is an impressive film from beginning to end. It's smart. The characters are smart. And the ending - though it may exercise too much restraint (I wanted to see the payoff!!!) - is a wonderfully strong one. In other words, you can only surmise what happens after the credits roll. I respect the decision to hold back, but I wanted to see it anyway, haha.
The 2 protagonists in this tale are Angelo Pardi (a handsome Olivier Martinez), one of the aforementioned Italian exiled patriots, and Pauline de Theus (a beguiling Juliette Binoche), a married French noblewoman. The narrative opens with Angelo escaping from a trio of Austrian assassins & fleeing to the city of Manosque; taking to the rooftops as riots break-out in the streets below. When a storm strikes, he (and his feline buddy) finds shelter in a stately house below. The woman living there is, of course, Pauline. Upon finding him, she reacts - not with fear - but with a calm; inviting him to a hot cup of tea. From here, they embark on a horse ride across France to reunite Pauline with her husband & send Angelo back to Italy (and his adoring mother).
The relationship btwn. Angelo & Pauline is chaste, mostly because she is hell bent to remain faithful to her MIA much-older husband. In fact, Angelo & Pauline never even share a kiss. But you can tell they are attracted to each other. He is determined to keep her safe through their dangerous countryside adventures. And she looks at him longingly. They respect one another. Love & emotion aside, this film's strong suit is its spectacle. There's action, adventure, sweeping music, gorgeous locales, beautiful sets/costumes, and ... well, who doesn't love to see some cholera-afflicted corpses?
This is a big budget film (the most expensive France has ever made). Yes, France. That means there are subtitles. But don't let that dissuade you. The melodrama is kept intact. There are moments of lavish beauty. There are moments of pure horror (Angelo finding an abandoned house with crows gorging on pasty human cadavers). Now, I would have liked a more powerful romance – a little more heat/passion. I'm not in love with the movie. But this is an impressive film from beginning to end. It's smart. The characters are smart. And the ending - though it may exercise too much restraint (I wanted to see the payoff!!!) - is a wonderfully strong one. In other words, you can only surmise what happens after the credits roll. I respect the decision to hold back, but I wanted to see it anyway, haha.