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The Duchess of Langeais (2007)Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)In the Clutches of 'The Duchess'By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Like many period pieces, Rivette's film is about simmering yearning and an ever-elusive payoff. (Montriveau's stories of suffering in the desert are nothing compared to his love pangs for Antoinette.) A man who makes very long films, Rivette knows all about waiting, and the roiling emotions simply build from there. Unlike recent turkeys like Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Other Boleyn Girl, Rivette simply lets the period re-create itself. He concentrates on simplicity, and allows the characters to become absorbed by their surroundings, rather than trying to cram them in. Floorboards creak, fireplace fires and candles constantly flicker and little piles of books lay about. There's a sense of characters existing within this space, rather than dressing up to tell stories about themselves. The Duchess of Langeais is an extremely minor Rivette, but it still shows how far he is above and beyond normal filmmakers. Starring: Jeanne Balibar, Guillaume Depardieu, Michel Piccoli, Bulle Ogier, Anne Cantineau, Mathias Jung, Julie Judd, Marc Barbé, Nicolas Bouchaud, Thomas Durand, Beppe Chierici, Victoria Zinny, Remo Girone, Paul Chevillard, Barbet Schroeder |
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