First look: International trailer for French crime drama Mesrine: Killer Instinct

I heard about Jean-François Richet's Mesrine a while back, but promptly forgot about it. The film adaptation of Jacques Mesrine's autobiography, L'instinct de mort, stars Vincent Cassel, Gérard Depardieu, Mathieu Amalric, and Ludivine Sagnier. Cassel, who plays title character Mesrine, won the Best Actor Cesar earlier this year.

The film was released in two parts (à la Che) in France, and the first film, L'instinct de mort (English title Mesrine: Killer Instinct (Part 1)) opened on October 22, 2008, while the second part L'Ennemi Public Numéro Un (Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One (Part 2)) opened on November 19, 2008.



Jacques Mesrine was one of the most famous criminals in French history. His committed bank robberies, burglaries, jewelry store robberies, prison breaks, arms smuggling, and murders. In 1979 he became French public enemy number 1 when he kidnapped millionaire, Henri Lelièvre, and received a ransom of 6 million francs. His crime spree even went as far as the United States and Canada.



At this point there's only an English language trailer for part one, Mesrine: Killer Instinct, but The Playlist is cool enough to share both French posters, the two trailers, a bonus clip from Empire, and the synopsis for part one:

Mesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel), a loyal son and dedicated soldier back home and living with his parents after serving in the Algerian War. Handsome and charming, he is soon seduced by the neon glamour of Sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerard Depardieu) Mesrine soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder, choosing the high risk life of a gangster of the honest life of the hard working family. After pulling off an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne (Cecile de France), flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels him towards international notoriety.

It looks like Mesrine: Killer Instinct will open on August 7 in the UK and then Mesrine: Public Enemy Number One will open on August 28. Annoyingly, there is no North American release date yet.

The best French language films - part 5: 'Jean de Florette' and 'Manon des Sources'

Be sure to check out part 1, part 2, and part 3, and part 4 of the series.



I would rather discuss these films without giving away too much, because part of the beauty of the films, particularly Manon des Sources, are the plot's twists and revealed secrets. I'm revisiting these French language films mostly as an introduction, though I don't mind a discussion in the comments section with spoilers.

I think it's impossible to watch Jean de Florette without immediately watching its sequel Manon des Sources (Manon of the Spring). In many ways I don't consider the storyline to be made up of two different films – rather, I see the events as part of an extended film with a brief intermission. Both were filmed over a duration of approximately 30 weeks, and were released within a few months of each other in 1986, much like another adaptation of Marcel Pagnol's work. Directed by Claude Berri, (who passed away in January) both films are based on famed French writer, Marcel Pagnol's two novels, which combined, are entitled L'Eau des Collines (The Water of the Hills). The historical dramas are set in Pagnol's beloved Provence, during the 1920s. Both films are painful and tragic, yet while Jean de Florette will break your heart, Manon des Sources - though no less heartbreaking, leaves the audience with an ending that is far more satisfying.



The first film, Jean de Florette, presents the audience with the story of César Soubeyran (Yves Montand) often referred to as 'Le Papet', or 'grandfather' among the locals. César, played brilliantly by Montand in one of his last roles, is a greedy and affluent farm owner of the French countryside. His nephew Ugolin (Daniel Auteuil), a repulsive, dim-witted young man, is César's only remaining family member. Despite Ugolin's flaws, César guides him and attempts to steer Ugolin towards wealth, status, and a family in order to preserve the fading Soubeyran line. Ugolin presents a plan to his uncle to grow carnations, and César, realizing how lucrative the venture will be is satisfied with his nephew's plan. Unfortunately, carnations cannot grow in the dry climate of Provence. But, ever the schemer, César knows of a neighboring spring that can put an end to their troubles. To ensure that the owner of the spring will voluntarily sell the land, César and Ugolin obstruct the spring to render the land utterly useless. The new owner, a hunchback named Jean Cadoret (Gérard Depardieu), is the son of Florette (one of César's old lovers) who, along with his wife (Elisabeth Depardieu) and daughter Manon (Ernestine Mazurowna) wants to keep his inherited property and live off the land. In order to convince Jean to sell his land, Ugolin becomes his friend, but complying with his uncle César's wishes, never reveals the spring that could keep Jean's futile dream alive. What unfolds after these events is almost unbearable, with Jean desperately trying to find water to keep his farm alive during a drought. The betrayal is almost unimaginable.

Despite the dark subject matter, Jean de Florette is a rather cheerful, almost hopeful film. This is largely due to Jean – portrayed magnificently by an exuberant Depardieu – who believes that his goal will ultimately be fulfilled. It is his waning confidence during the drought that drives the story.


Manon des Sources begins some ten years later with Jean's beautiful daughter, Manon (Emmanuelle Béart ) living in near isolation as a shepherdess outside of town. Ugolin is till unwed, much to his uncle's disappointment, but soon, by chance, Ugolin falls in love with Manon. Disgusted, she refuses his advances and finds herself falling in love with Bernard Olivier (Hippolyte Girardot) who has just arrived in town. It's hard to discuss the rest of the plot in great detail without spoiling most of the ending, but the film's payoff is both shocking, and heartbreaking – it all plays out like a Greek tragedy.


Both films, Jean de Florette in particular, are near perfect films. This is mostly due to the cast's and Berri's ability to make each character – even the most villainous – into a human being. Even the most innocent character, Manon, does something cruel.

For anyone who is not used to foreign films and subtitles, the four hour run of these films will seem daunting. I first watched both films in my early teens, and I've always felt that my patience was worthwhile. You will never regret taking the time to see them. Both Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources are available on DVD, either separately or together in a box set.

The best French language films - part 4: 'Cyrano de Bergerac'

Be sure to check out part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 5 of the series.



I initially watched Jean-Paul Rappeneau's Oscar nominated adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) in middle school after reading the original play. It is, perhaps, the finest adaptation of Edmond Rostand's play, and since it's regarded as the one surviving version in the play's original language, it feels like the most authentic representation of Cyrano's melancholy life. As one of the most expensive French films in history, it's easy to understand why it's considered as the most sumptuous and detailed theatrical version of Rostand's play. The 1990 version is also noted as the first version of Cyrano de Bergerac in color, and it is, in my opinion, one of the greatest French films ever made.




The film stars renowned French actor, Gérard Depardieu as Cyrano de Bergerac and he gives one of his most exceptional performances. His performance is so stunning that not only was he the second actor nominated for an Oscar for playing Cyrano (José Ferrer actually won the Oscar for his 1950 incarnation), he is one of the few actors nominated for a French speaking role. By my count, no more than five actors were nominated for a French speaking role prior to Depardieu. All five of them were women.



The film tells the story of Cyrano de Bergerac - 17th century dramatist, poet, daredevil, sword fighter, romantic. At the start of the film, Cyrano disarms a nobleman for insulting his nose, and it remains one of my favorite scenes of the film. Certainly, the romance that unfolds is moving and tragic, but as a teenager it was Cyrano's bravado that delighted me. There is, quite frankly, something rather cool about him. He can disarm you with his words as brilliantly as he can with his sword.


Cyrano de Bergerac is a man who masks his deep shame of having a grotesquely large nose. He hides his humiliation behind a facade with bluster and wit, yet in his heart he yearns. He secretly loves the dazzling Roxane (Anne Brochet), but does not have the courage to reveal his love because of his looks. Tragically, Cyrano discovers that Roxane is besotted with Christian de Neuvillette (Vincent Perez), a handsome young soldier who is terrified of speaking in Roxane's presence. Cyrano decides to help young Christian win over Roxane, and when Christian realizes he possesses neither the wit nor the eloquence to gain her love, Cyrano becomes Christian's voice – he compiles love letters, poems, and even tells Christian what to say. Roxane falls in love with Christian, and Cyrano mourns his loss. Depardieu brings a great deal of sadness to a character often mistaken for being simply exuberant. The genius of his performance is his ability to balance the two sides of Cyrano's personality and he is all at once humorous, heartbreaking, and romantic.

Cyrano de Bergerac is a work that has been performed in France since 1897 and is still considered one of the greatest plays ever produced in France. This theatrical version, should be considered with no less regard than its original work. With its expensive 17th century sets, and gorgeous costumes – it's easy to see why it won the Oscar for Best Costume Design and was nominated for Art Direction. The screenplay adapted by Jean-Claude Carrière and director Jean-Paul Rappeneau allows the audience to hear the original French dialogue, and with linguist Anthony Burgess' translated English subtitles, the film preserves the iambic hexameter of the original play. All this gives the feeling of watching a poem acted out, like watching one of Cyrano's long romantic poems, rather than a play's adaptation. It's something I've grown to appreciate as I've gotten older – I suppose one year of college literature has something to do with it.



Cyrano de Bergerac is available on DVD and I really recommend purchasing it, because it's worth owning.