Customer Reviews

Beaumarchais the Scoundrel [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a professional historian, and I found this movie to be very true to the spirit of the eighteenth century. I loved the little inside jokes (for those of us who have studied the plays and the history of the times). My French roomate used this film in her introductory level French classes at Tulane. This is a must-see film for those who want to be introduced to pre-Revolutionary French culture. But, you have to be interested in the subject (seriously interested) in order to appreciate the film.

Despite the previous review, obviously penned by a Showgirls fan, this movie is excellent. Perhaps, like several other films, there is an I.Q. minimum required to enjoy this fine cinematic work. The lead actor, Fabrice Luchini, does a remarkable job portraying this character and I would enjoy seeing other films in which he has performed. In closing, please take any opportunity to view this film. If you dislike it as much as the previous reviewer did, then resign yourself to a life of the Beverly Hillbillies equaling the pinnacle of art.

Witty, artistic and beautiful. This is one of my favorite period pieces...

This movie is an excellent view of 19e Paris. Luchini is excellent as usual, and I must agree with the second review, one can only wonder with the first reviewer why someone who probably thought Independance Day is a fine film would even go see a real movie such as this.

I see this film has come onto DVD at long last. The listing mentions American Sign Language as the only subtitle track....which is curious, because why (and how) would sign language be necessary if there were printed English subs.

Can someone please clarify whether the subs are indeed in English?

I have been waiting what feels like an eternity for this wonderful film to come out on DVD.....

I can't comment on the historical accuracy, but from what I do know of Beaumarchais I would say they succeeded with flying colours in representing his character, aswell as the atmosphere of the time. While the film is light-hearted and very funny, it doesn't take the easy option of caracaturising him as a cheeky libertine but also explores his serious ideals, which are essential to understanding the plays (and operas). And then of course there's the added bonus of the incredible Fabrice Lucchini who is equally at home creating the twinkle-eyed scoundrel, the passionate idealist, and the ordinary man who nervously awaits the verdicts of censors and public. I'd give it 6 stars if I could.

This is an extremely informative movie with a lot of accurate details from Beaumarchais' life, but at the same time is extremely entertaining.

This is the absolute best movie in the world. I am driving my family crazy by watching it over and over again.

Just as St. Pauli Girl beer is brewed in Germany exclusively for export to America, I suspect the French, Italians, and British shoot certain films exclusively for export to pretentious art house cinemas in the U.S. Any movie that takes place in the past with lots of cool costumes (especially those dresses in the eighteenth century that allowed for liberal display of an infant's sole source of nourishment)and supposedly witty people making sophisticated subtitled chitchat in elegant drawing rooms, be they in ancien regime France or Edwardian England, is apparently a guaranteed success. Nothing else explains how this very bad film made it to this country. It is boring, poorly plotted, and has very little scenes displaying female actresses less than fully dressed, one of the few reasons for viewing a pretentious farrago such as this film. I saw this cinematic equivalent of a Sarin attack in a barely populated theater on New Year's Eve and was violently ill on New Year's Day despite having had nothing to drink the night before. Coincidence? I think not.