 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1972  PG, 105 min.
Genre: Foreign / Comedy / Drama / Fantasy
Director: Luis Bunuel
Cast: Fernando Rey, Stephane Audran, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Delphine Seyrig, Bulle Ogier, Michel Piccoli, Bernard Musson, Paul Frankeur, Julien Bertheau, Milena Vukotic, Maria Gabriella Maione, Claude Pieplu
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, this is a satirical look at the bourgeoisie following the activities of upper-middle-class friends. Don Raphael (Fernando Rey), Francois Thevenot (Paul Frankeur), Simone (Delphine Seyrig), Florence (Bulle Ogier), Henri Senechal (Jean-Pierre Cassel), and Alice (Stephane Audran) try, again and again, to spend an evening together. But, no matter how many times they try, and fail, to have dinner together, their plans are frustrated by events over which they have no control. The obstacles are bizarre–ranging from a mixed- up date for the dinner, to army maneuvers, to a dead body, to a stage play in which they are characters. Good entertainment.
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The Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2007 PG-13, 112 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Julian Schnabel
Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup, Olatz Lopez Garmendia, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hands, Max von Sydow, Isaach De Bankole, Emma de Caunes, Gerard Watkins, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey
Based on French "Elle" editor Jean-Dominique Bauby's best-selling memoir, this story shows how Bauby (Mathieu Amalric) suffers a stroke and the psychological torment he endures when he suffers "locked-in syndrome" in which his brain is working, but he is not able to speak nor move his body. The one thing Bauby can do is blink one eye, and, with help from speech therapist Henriette (Marie-Josee Croze), he is able to form sentences by blinking when she calls out a letter in the alphabet. As a result, Bauby is able to author a manuscript revealing what it is like to be trapped inside one's body and relating fantasies that he has imagined. The film received four Academy Award nominations including Best Director.
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The Four Musketeers 1974   PG, 108 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy / Romance
Director: Richard Lester
Cast: Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Frank Finlay, Charlton Heston, Christopher Lee, Faye Dunaway, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Geraldine Chaplin, Roy Kinnear, Michael Gothard, Simon Ward, Sybil Danning
This very good sequel to Richard Lester's "The Three Musketeers" has plenty of good action. Musketeers Athos (Oliver Reed), Aramis (Richard Chamberlain), and Porthos (Frank Finlay) team up with D'Artagnan (Michael York) to rescue the fair lady, Constance (Raquel Welch).
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Is Paris Burning? 1966  N/R, 173 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Rene Clement
Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Boyer, Leslie Caron, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Yves Montand, Anthony Perkins, Simone Signoret, Orson Welles
This is the story of the liberation of Paris in 1944. When the Allies approached the city, the Nazis were ordered to burn it to the ground.
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La Ceremonie 1995 N/R, 111 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: A Judgement in Stone
A Judgment in Stone
Director: Claude Chabrol
Cast: Sandrine Bonnaire, Isabelle Huppert, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Virginie Ledoyen, Valentin Merlet, Jean-Francois Perrier, Yves Verhoeven, Dominique Frot, Serge Rousseau
"La Ceremonie" is French for events leading to inevitable death by Guillotine. This is the story of a French family that hires a new housekeeper, Sophie (Sandrine Bonnaire). Sophie has unique problems of her own that are exploited by the local postmistress (Isabelle Huppert) with unexpected consequences for her employers.
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La Patinoire 1999 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Foreign / Comedy
aka: The Ice Rink
Director: Jean-Phillipe Toussaint
Cast: Tom Novembre, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marie-France Pisier, Dolores Chaplin, Bruce Campbell, Mireille Perrier, Dominique Deruddere, Gilbert Melki, Eva Ionesco, Dominic Gould
While rushing to finish his latest film in time for the Venice Film Festival, the director (Tom Novembre) receives little cooperation from his producers, actors, and stars.
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La Rupture 1970  N/R, 124 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: The Break Up
Director: Claude Chabrol
Cast: Stephane Audran, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Michel Bouquet, Jean-Claude Drouot, Michel Duchaussoy, Catherine Rouvel, Marguerite Cassan, Annie Cordy, Jean Carmet, Louise Chevalier
During a drug-induced rage, Charles (Jean-Claude Drouot) attacks his wife, Helene (Stephane Audran), and their four-year-old son, severely injuring the son. Helene takes the son to the hospital and rents a room. Meanwhile, Charles moves in with his wealthy parents. His father (Michel Bouquet) believes that Helene is to blame for the problems and is determined to gain custody of the injured grandson. He hires Paul (Jean-Pierre Cassel) to dig up dirt on Helene, but when that comes up negative, a plan is devised to manufacture dirt.
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Les Rivieres Pourpres 2000 R, 106 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
aka: The Crimson Rivers
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Cast: Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Fares, Dominique Sanda, Karim Belkhadra, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Didier Flamand, Francois Levantal, Francine Berge, Philippe Nahon
Two French policemen–Commissaire Pierre Niemans (Jean Reno) and Lieutenant Max Kerkerian (Vincent Cassel)–follow clues in separate investigations that converge on the perpetrator of grisly serial killings.
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Love at the Top 1974  R, 105 min.
Genre: Foreign / Comedy
aka: The French Way
Director: Michel Deville
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Romy Schneider, Jane Birkin, Florinda Bolkan, Henri Garcin, Georges Wilson, Michel Vitold, Jean-Francois Balmer, Dominique Constanza, Estella Blain, Mary Marquet
Meek bank clerk Nicolas (Jean-Louis Trintignant) becomes an overnight success–with women and wealth–when he agrees to take the advice of a struggling novelist (Jean-Pierre Cassel). A so-so comedy.
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L'Enfer 1994 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Claude Chabrol
Cast: Emmanuelle Beart, Francois Cluzet, Nathalie Cardone, Andre Wilms, Marc Lavoine, Christiane Minazzoli, Dora Doll, Mario David, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Thomas Chabrol, Yves Verhoeven
Overworked as a hotel manager, Paul (Francois Cluzet) imagines that his wife, Nelly (Emmanuelle Beart), is unfaithful, and his jealousy turns into hallucinations that lead to his insanity and a personal hell for both Paul and Nelly.
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The Maid 1991 PG, 91 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Ian Toynton
Cast: Martin Sheen, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Victoria Shalet, James Faulkner, Dominic Gould, Isabelle Guiard, Catherine Lachens, Joe Cosgrove, Carina Barone
Sheen is a Wall Street executive who becomes the maid to a French businesswoman (Bisset) in order to win her affection. Predictable, slow romantic comedy.
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 Murder on the Orient Express 1974 PG, 127 min.
Genre: Mystery / Drama / Thriller
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset, Lauren Bacall, Wendy Hiller, Martin Balsam, Richard Widmark, Jean-Pierre Cassel, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Rachel Roberts, Colin Blakely
Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) investigates a murder that takes place on a train trip from Calais to Istanbul. This is an exciting movie with an exceptional cast of characters. Ingrid Bergman won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. There were five other nominations, including Best Actor (Albert Finney).
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 The Phantom of the Opera 1990 TV, 200 min.
Genre: Drama / Horror / Thriller / Romance / Mystery
Director: Tony Richardson
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Charles Dance, Teri Polo, Ian Richardson, Andrea Ferreol, Adam Storke, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Jean Rougerie, Andre Chaumeau, Marie-Therese Orain, Marie-Christine Robert, Marie Lenoir, Anne Roumanoff, Jacques Mars, Jean Dupouy
Charles Dance takes the role of the Phantom in this campy remake of the classic horror story about the disfigured man who haunts the opera house in Paris. Erik (also played by Dance) is the disfigured son of Carrier (Burt Lancaster) who is the dismissed director of the Paris Opera House. Erik lives beneath the opera house and falls in love with beautiful opera singer Christine (Teri Polo). He helps Christine with her career and trains her in an abandoned music room. But, when Christine falls in love with the arrogant Count De Chagny (Adam Storke), Erik seeks vengeance as the masked Phantom.
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Sade 2000 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Foreign / Drama
Director: Benoit Jacquot
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Marianne Denicourt, Jeanne Balibar, Gregoire Colin, Isild Le Besco, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Philippe Duquesne, Vincent Branchet, Raymond Gerome, Jalil Lespert
In 1794, the imprisoned Marquis de Sade (Daniel Auteuil) was transferred–after 13 years in grim Saint Lazarde prison–to a luxury prison where he relived his youth by "educating" the beautiful, young Emilie de Lancris (Isild Le Besco).
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That Lucky Touch 1975  PG, 93 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Christopher Miles
Cast: Roger Moore, Susannah York, Shelley Winters, Lee J. Cobb, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Raf Vallone, Sydne Rome, Donald Sinden, Michael Shannon, Aubrey Woods
Michael Scott's (Roger Moore) shady deals with the army are uncovered by the probing of journalist Julia Richardson (Susannah York). Lee J. Cobb's last film.
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Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 1965 N/R, 132 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Ken Annakin
Cast: Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Alberto Sordi, Terry-Thomas, Robert Morley, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Flora Robson, Red Skelton
The complete title of this film is "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Or: How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes." Behind this long title is a comedy about a 1910 airplane race from London to Paris. American (Stuart Whitman) and British (James Fox) flyers vie not only to win the race but also to win the same girl (Sarah Miles). Lots of fun.
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The Three Musketeers 1973 PG, 105 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy / Romance
Director: Richard Lester
Cast: Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Raquel Welch, Michael York, Geraldine Chaplin, Charlton Heston, Faye Dunaway, Christopher Lee, Frank Finlay, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Spike Milligan, Roy Kinnear, Joss Ackland, Simon Ward, Georges Wilson
This is a very good rendition of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel about the swashbuckling adventures and romances of D'Artagnan (Michael York) and the three Musketeers–Athos, Aramis, and Porthos (Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, and Frank Finlay). The story begins when D'Artagnan arrives in Paris wanting to follow in the footsteps of his father (Joss Ackland) who was a Musketeer. He meets and befriends Athos, Aramis, and Porthos and then joins in their efforts to defend Queen Anna (Geraldine Chaplin) from the scheming Cardinal Richelieu (Charlton Heston).
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Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? 1978 PG, 112 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Cast: George Segal, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Morley, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort, Joss Ackland, Daniel Emilfork, Nigel Havers, John Le Mesurier
Junk-food magnate Robby (George Segal) travels to Europe, determined to gain the favors of his pastry-chef ex-wife, Natasha (Jacqueline Bisset) while all around him the great chefs are being systematically murdered in the method of how their famous recipes are prepared. Some good Morley scenes in this comedy/mystery.
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| 1. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
2. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
3. The Four Musketeers (1974)
4. Is Paris Burning? (1966)
5. La Ceremonie (1995)
aka: A Judgement in Stone
aka: A Judgment in Stone
6. La Patinoire (1999)
aka: The Ice Rink
7. La Rupture (1970)
aka: The Break Up
8. La Vie Continue (1982)
9. Les Rivieres Pourpres (2000)
aka: The Crimson Rivers
10. Love at the Top (1974)
aka: The French Way
11. L'Enfer (1994)
12. The Maid (1991)
13. Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
14. The Phantom of the Opera (1990)
15. Sade (2000)
16. That Lucky Touch (1975)
17. Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)
18. The Three Musketeers (1973)
19. Vincent & Theo (1990)
20. Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)
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