The true story of a tone-deaf wealthy music lover who wants to be an opera star is painfully poignant
A César award-winning performance by Catherine Frot as the tone-deaf Marguerite Dumont drives a tragicomic tale of a wealthy but lonely music lover who proves that “singers can’t hear themselves”. Inspired by the real-life figure of Florence Foster Jenkins (also the subject of Stephen Frears’s forthcoming film starring Meryl Streep), this engagingly compassionate fable from writer-director Xavier Giannoli (The Singer, Superstar) opens at a private party in September 1920, where wannabe opera star Marguerite scares children under tables with a voice that is “divinely off-key – sublimely, wildly!” Cold-shouldered by a husband who sees her as “a freak”, Marguerite is embraced by opportunists and anarchists who hear in her voice the sound of someone trying to “exorcise an inner demon” – a review she takes as a compliment. An elaborate conspiracy to...
A César award-winning performance by Catherine Frot as the tone-deaf Marguerite Dumont drives a tragicomic tale of a wealthy but lonely music lover who proves that “singers can’t hear themselves”. Inspired by the real-life figure of Florence Foster Jenkins (also the subject of Stephen Frears’s forthcoming film starring Meryl Streep), this engagingly compassionate fable from writer-director Xavier Giannoli (The Singer, Superstar) opens at a private party in September 1920, where wannabe opera star Marguerite scares children under tables with a voice that is “divinely off-key – sublimely, wildly!” Cold-shouldered by a husband who sees her as “a freak”, Marguerite is embraced by opportunists and anarchists who hear in her voice the sound of someone trying to “exorcise an inner demon” – a review she takes as a compliment. An elaborate conspiracy to...
- 3/20/2016
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Sing the Body Apoplectic: Giannoli Pays Thanks to the Music
French director Xavier Giannoli borrows an obscure piece of American pop culture for his latest feature, Marguerite, a 1920s Parisian high society dramedy based loosely on the life and career of New England socialite Florence Foster Jenkins. Oblivious to her glaring lack of talent, the wealthy soprano was the source of rampant ridicule, her folly reaching an unmitigated apotheosis following a sold-out Carnegie Hall performance in an instance of truth being stranger than fiction. Resting beautifully on the masterful shoulders of Catherine Frot, an oft-Cesar nominated actress who hasn’t had the deserving international acclaim she’s due, the film’s success hinges delicately on her performance, even with a cadre of supporting players otherwise subjugated to empathetic cliché or predictably reprehensible conduct.
Marguerite Dumont (Frot) has staged a benefit concert at her home, a sprawling chateau outside of Paris.
French director Xavier Giannoli borrows an obscure piece of American pop culture for his latest feature, Marguerite, a 1920s Parisian high society dramedy based loosely on the life and career of New England socialite Florence Foster Jenkins. Oblivious to her glaring lack of talent, the wealthy soprano was the source of rampant ridicule, her folly reaching an unmitigated apotheosis following a sold-out Carnegie Hall performance in an instance of truth being stranger than fiction. Resting beautifully on the masterful shoulders of Catherine Frot, an oft-Cesar nominated actress who hasn’t had the deserving international acclaim she’s due, the film’s success hinges delicately on her performance, even with a cadre of supporting players otherwise subjugated to empathetic cliché or predictably reprehensible conduct.
Marguerite Dumont (Frot) has staged a benefit concert at her home, a sprawling chateau outside of Paris.
- 3/7/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
★★★☆☆ Set in 1920 and loosely inspired by the life of infamous soprano Florence Foster Jenkins, Marguerite (2015) is Xavier Giannoli's follow up to disappointing Superstar, which was in competition at Venice three years ago. Marguerite's main characters are wannabes who ultimately find themselves trapped in their own delusions. Marguerite Dumont (Catherine Frot) is an untalented opera singer who believes she has a wonderful voice, regularly performing for her aristocratic friends and behaving like a diva for her butler and amateur photographer Madelbos (Denis Mpunga). In this, she is a classic Giannoli character who falls victim to their own false beliefs.
Marguerite's rendition of Mozart's Queen of the Night sees her squawking throughout the whole aria, in one of the most hilarious, albeit ear-shattering, sequences seen in Venice so far and transformed what looked to be stiff period film into something altogether different. Marguerite is undeniably, and irreparably, tone-deaf, but...
Marguerite's rendition of Mozart's Queen of the Night sees her squawking throughout the whole aria, in one of the most hilarious, albeit ear-shattering, sequences seen in Venice so far and transformed what looked to be stiff period film into something altogether different. Marguerite is undeniably, and irreparably, tone-deaf, but...
- 9/5/2015
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Marguerite
Director: Xavier Giannoli // Writer: Xavier Giannoli
French director Xavier Giannoli has previously helmed five features, two of them playing in competition in Cannes, including perhaps his best known work, The Singer (2006, starring Cecile de France) and 2009’s In the Beginning. He’s also premiered in Venice, with his last feature, 2012’s Superstar, which also headlined Cecile de France. He’s now working with one of France’s most accomplished and underrated actresses, Catherine Frot, last seen in Us theater in 2013 with The Weinstein Company’s distribution of Haute Cuisine. Known mainly for her comedic talents, she’s equally mesmerizing in dramatic fare, such as Safy Nabbou’s Mark of an Angel and Denis Dercourt’s The Page Turner. Giannoli is directing her in Marguerite, a 1920’s period piece based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, otherwise known as the world’s worst soprano (although she though rather the...
Director: Xavier Giannoli // Writer: Xavier Giannoli
French director Xavier Giannoli has previously helmed five features, two of them playing in competition in Cannes, including perhaps his best known work, The Singer (2006, starring Cecile de France) and 2009’s In the Beginning. He’s also premiered in Venice, with his last feature, 2012’s Superstar, which also headlined Cecile de France. He’s now working with one of France’s most accomplished and underrated actresses, Catherine Frot, last seen in Us theater in 2013 with The Weinstein Company’s distribution of Haute Cuisine. Known mainly for her comedic talents, she’s equally mesmerizing in dramatic fare, such as Safy Nabbou’s Mark of an Angel and Denis Dercourt’s The Page Turner. Giannoli is directing her in Marguerite, a 1920’s period piece based on the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, otherwise known as the world’s worst soprano (although she though rather the...
- 1/8/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Despite a decent performance by Kad Merad, Xavier Giannoli's celebrity satire is redundant and fundamentally unconvincing
Xavier Giannoli's latest movie is an unsatisfying satire on the subject of celebrity. The premise is interesting enough. Kad Merad plays Martin Kazinski, a bald, middle-aged guy who leads a humble, decent life working for a firm that recycles old computers and also provides employment for people with learning difficulties. One morning, he wakes up to find he has undergone a Kafkaesque metamorphosis into a celebrity: people demand his autograph and take his photo. He is all over the net. But why? No one will tell him. He is famous, then famous for being famous, exploited by a reality TV show produced by worldly cynic Jean-Baptiste (Louis-Do De Lencquesaing) and his beautiful but troubled colleague Fleur (Cécile de France) who develops a soft spot for their poor, panicky chump.
At first, the...
Xavier Giannoli's latest movie is an unsatisfying satire on the subject of celebrity. The premise is interesting enough. Kad Merad plays Martin Kazinski, a bald, middle-aged guy who leads a humble, decent life working for a firm that recycles old computers and also provides employment for people with learning difficulties. One morning, he wakes up to find he has undergone a Kafkaesque metamorphosis into a celebrity: people demand his autograph and take his photo. He is all over the net. But why? No one will tell him. He is famous, then famous for being famous, exploited by a reality TV show produced by worldly cynic Jean-Baptiste (Louis-Do De Lencquesaing) and his beautiful but troubled colleague Fleur (Cécile de France) who develops a soft spot for their poor, panicky chump.
At first, the...
- 8/30/2012
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
The Kid with a Bike / Le Gamin au Vélo
Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Written by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
France/Belgium/Italy, 2011
The style of brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne might not sound immediately appealing to someone who has never seen one of their films. The Belgians usually avoid working with big stars, glamorous locations or lush orchestrations. Their themes include poverty, unemployment and the everyday struggles of people on the margins. But Cannes Juries love them — Rosetta and The Child are both past winners of the coveted Palme d’Or. This year’s Grand Prix winner, The Kid with a Bike, is another brilliant example of no-frills film-making that grabs you from the shot and makes you care.
That title is reminiscent of Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves (1948), but here 11-year-old Cyril (Thomas Doret) has lost both his dad and his beloved vélo. (There’s no mum,...
Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Written by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
France/Belgium/Italy, 2011
The style of brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne might not sound immediately appealing to someone who has never seen one of their films. The Belgians usually avoid working with big stars, glamorous locations or lush orchestrations. Their themes include poverty, unemployment and the everyday struggles of people on the margins. But Cannes Juries love them — Rosetta and The Child are both past winners of the coveted Palme d’Or. This year’s Grand Prix winner, The Kid with a Bike, is another brilliant example of no-frills film-making that grabs you from the shot and makes you care.
That title is reminiscent of Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves (1948), but here 11-year-old Cyril (Thomas Doret) has lost both his dad and his beloved vélo. (There’s no mum,...
- 10/21/2011
- by Susannah
- SoundOnSight
Xavier Giannoli, the commercials and film director behind the 2009 Cannes Main Comp selected In the Beginning has re-teamed with Quand j'étais chanteur (2006) acting pair of Cécile de France and Mathieu Amalric for his latest project, a film that actually began filming last month - we just now we got wind of it. Talk Show should be readied for a Fall release. Gist: Written by Giannoli, this is the story of a mistake made in the media and what is at stake for humanity. It effects the destiny of a man who should have never become famous, a woman who pretends to be in love with him and a cynic who has everything to gain. We imagine De France is the gold digger. Worth Noting Giannoli isn't well known on this side of the Atlantic since his films have only found distribution in French Canada. Do We Care: If Giannoli is...
- 2/28/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
A hokey story about a washed-up country singer is rescued by a wonderful performance by Jeff Bridges, writes Peter Bradshaw
A wonderfully easy, confident and muscular performance from Jeff Bridges – so easy, confident and muscular that it doesn't look like acting at all – saves this movie from being pure sentimental mush. But only just. It is pretty hokey stuff sometimes, and less plausible than the film to which it must be compared: The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. Bridges is the washed-up country singer, a description to which we can only reply, like Nathan Lane commenting on the phrase "celebrity friend": is there any other kind? He answers only to his stage name, Bad Blake, and our first sight of him comes as Bad climbs glumly out of his pickup truck outside the grim bowling hall where he has been booked to play, retrieves an old plastic carton from inside...
A wonderfully easy, confident and muscular performance from Jeff Bridges – so easy, confident and muscular that it doesn't look like acting at all – saves this movie from being pure sentimental mush. But only just. It is pretty hokey stuff sometimes, and less plausible than the film to which it must be compared: The Wrestler, starring Mickey Rourke. Bridges is the washed-up country singer, a description to which we can only reply, like Nathan Lane commenting on the phrase "celebrity friend": is there any other kind? He answers only to his stage name, Bad Blake, and our first sight of him comes as Bad climbs glumly out of his pickup truck outside the grim bowling hall where he has been booked to play, retrieves an old plastic carton from inside...
- 2/18/2010
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
London -- Irish-American "Tip" O'Neill once remarked that "all politics is local," an observation that almost certainly could have bannered the movie industry across Europe this year as the runners and riders gear up for 2010.
As the Speaker of the House of Representatives, O'Neill believed that accounting for -- and to -- your local constituency equated to political success. He was popular because he listened to his people.
And in every major territory across Europe -- from the U.K. to Germany, France, Italy and Spain -- the movie movers-and-shakers who have lived and died by the local sword in 2009 will be looking at 2010 as a year unlikely to bring change to that outlook.
The U.K. is set to break the billion-pound boxoffice threshold by the end of the year with admissions also beating last year's figures by the end of 2009, with production activity rising during 2009 from the previous year.
As the Speaker of the House of Representatives, O'Neill believed that accounting for -- and to -- your local constituency equated to political success. He was popular because he listened to his people.
And in every major territory across Europe -- from the U.K. to Germany, France, Italy and Spain -- the movie movers-and-shakers who have lived and died by the local sword in 2009 will be looking at 2010 as a year unlikely to bring change to that outlook.
The U.K. is set to break the billion-pound boxoffice threshold by the end of the year with admissions also beating last year's figures by the end of 2009, with production activity rising during 2009 from the previous year.
- 12/21/2009
- by By Stuart Kemp
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARIS -- Pascale Ferran's Lady Chatterley walked away with the prize for French film of the year at a ceremony for the Prix Louis-Delluc 2006 on Monday.
Le Pressentiment, directed by actor-turned-director Jean-Pierre Darroussin, was declared best first film. The coveted honor, named for one of France's original filmmakers/critics and nicknamed the Goncourt du cinema, was awarded to Ferran and to Darroussin by the jury and its president Gilles Jacob at famed Paris restaurant Fouquet's.
The Prix Louis-Delluc, given since 1937, is typically an early forecast of accolades to come as the French awards season kicks off.
Lady Chatterley, based on the second version of D.H. Lawrence's controversial novel, is distributed by Ad Vitam and stars Marina Hands as Lady Constance Chatterley.
The film is being sold internationally by Films Distribution, which also boasts last year's Prix Louis-Delluc winner, Philippe's Garrel's Regular Lovers, among its library titles.
Competition for this year's prize included: Bled Number One by Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche, who won the award for best first film in 2002 for his "Wesh Wesh, Qu'est-ce qui se passe?"; Coeurs by Alain Resnais, who has previously taken home the award in 1966 for La Guerre est Finie, in 1993 for Smoking-No Smoking and in 1997 for On Connait la Chanson; Flandres by Bruno Dumont; Jardins en Automne by Otar Iosseliani, winner of the prize in 1999 for Adieu, Plancher des Vaches; and Quand J'etais Chanteur by Xavier Giannoli.
Le Pressentiment, directed by actor-turned-director Jean-Pierre Darroussin, was declared best first film. The coveted honor, named for one of France's original filmmakers/critics and nicknamed the Goncourt du cinema, was awarded to Ferran and to Darroussin by the jury and its president Gilles Jacob at famed Paris restaurant Fouquet's.
The Prix Louis-Delluc, given since 1937, is typically an early forecast of accolades to come as the French awards season kicks off.
Lady Chatterley, based on the second version of D.H. Lawrence's controversial novel, is distributed by Ad Vitam and stars Marina Hands as Lady Constance Chatterley.
The film is being sold internationally by Films Distribution, which also boasts last year's Prix Louis-Delluc winner, Philippe's Garrel's Regular Lovers, among its library titles.
Competition for this year's prize included: Bled Number One by Rabah Ameur-Zaimeche, who won the award for best first film in 2002 for his "Wesh Wesh, Qu'est-ce qui se passe?"; Coeurs by Alain Resnais, who has previously taken home the award in 1966 for La Guerre est Finie, in 1993 for Smoking-No Smoking and in 1997 for On Connait la Chanson; Flandres by Bruno Dumont; Jardins en Automne by Otar Iosseliani, winner of the prize in 1999 for Adieu, Plancher des Vaches; and Quand J'etais Chanteur by Xavier Giannoli.
- 12/18/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
PARIS -- A threat to the delivery of prints at the Festival de Cannes was averted late Thursday when unions at France's biggest film laboratories called off a two-day old strike over feared job cuts. Workers at I Laboratoires outside Paris downed tools Tuesday in protest at expected job cuts, and the stoppage was renewed Thursday. Eclair, which employs close to 400 people, recently announced a 50% drop in its revenue from 35mm negative processing for the first quarter, prompting management to examine restructuring the workforce through early retirement and voluntary redundancies. Management met with staff reps Thursday evening and gave guarantees that there will be no forced redundancies. "We restart work tomorrow," said Sylvain Szuscany, representative of the CGT union. No one from management was available for comment at press time. Eclair is processing about a dozen films due to unspool at Cannes, mainly French titles including the Competition films Selon Charlie and Quand j'etais chanteur, the closing-night film Transylvania and the opening film for sidebar Un Certain Regard, Paris, je t'aime.
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