Le déclin de l'empire américain (1986)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Denys Arcand

Writer:

Denys Arcand (writer)

Release Date:

November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Four university teachers gather to prepare a dinner. Remy - married, Claude - homosexual, Pierre - girlfriend and Alain - a bachelor discuss sex...

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Discussion | Affair | Penis | Sadomasochism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 13 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Dominique Michel	...	Dominique
Dorothée Berryman	...	Louise
Louise Portal	...	Diane
Pierre Curzi	...	Pierre
Rémy Girard	...	Rémy
Yves Jacques	...	Claude
Geneviève Rioux	...	Danielle
Daniel Brière	...	Alain
Gabriel Arcand	...	Mario
Évelyn Regimbald
Lisette Guertin
Alexandre Remy
Ariane Frédérique
Jean-Paul Bongo

Also Known As:

The Decline of the American Empire (USA)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Hungary:16 | Portugal:M/16 | West Germany:18 | Australia:M | Argentina:18 | Finland:K-16 | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Eastern Townships, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Cineplex-Odeon Films

Trivia:

The house in which the majority of the events take place, in Magog, burned down in 1989, was later rebuilt. The scene in which one of the women characters is having sex, seen through a window from outside, was actually shot through a garage window. The actress was sitting on the snow tires which the owner of the house stored in the garage. She told him that, thanks to the tires, it was one of the most comfortable scenes she had ever done.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Le voleur de caméra (1992)

Witty and Entertaining

For many years, this movie ranked in my all time top ten. Over time, my affection for it has dropped, but I still value it greatly. It is a wordy movie about sexual politics of all kinds and human relationships. I have always felt that most of the characters in this film feel a need to justify relationships that they should not be in.

The story is simple - a group of men prepare dinner for a group of women who are at a club working out. While in separate locations, they are free to talk about their sexual appetites, exploits and conquests. The female conversations are particularly funny. Eventually, the women arrive and dinner commences, an unexpected guest shows up and eventually, secrets are revealed.

Decline of the American Empire is Denys Arcand's best film, and at the time, the best ever to come out of Canada. (That crown now firmly belongs to Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter). It seems a little dated today, but if you can handle subtitles, and if you like movies with lots of dialogue about sex and human relationships, it is a worthy rental. ***1/2 out of ****.