Vipère au poing (2004)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Philippe de Broca

Writers:

Hervé Bazin (novel)
Philippe de Broca (writer)

Release Date:

6 October 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Catherine Frot	...	Paule "Folcoche" Rézeau
Jacques Villeret	...	Jacques Rézeau
Jules Sitruk	...	Jean Rézeau
Cherie Lunghi	...	Miss Chilton
Hannah Taylor-Gordon	...	Fine
Richard Bremmer	...	Abbé Traquet
Sabine Haudepin	...	Tante Thérèse
William Touil	...	Ferdinand "Freddie" Rézeau
Wojciech Pszoniak	...	Père Volitza
Pierre Stévenin	...	Marcel
Annick Alane	...	Grand-mère Rézeau
Paul Le Person	...	Père Létendard
Alexia Barlier	...	Kitty
Amélie Lerma	...	Henriette
Dominique Paturel	...	M. Pluvignec

Also Known As:

Viper in the Fist (UK)

Runtime:

Argentina:100 min | France:100 min

Country:

France | UK

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Brittany, France

Company:

Angoa-Agicoa

Trivia:

Visa d'exploitation France # 106220 du 19-10-2004.

Movie Connections:

Version of Vipère au poing (1971) (TV)

A Snake of One's Own ...

... or Every Home Should Have One, with apologies to John Steinbeck whose short story had nothing whatsoever to do with the autobiography of Herve Bazin which is the basis for this fine film. Catherine Frot is cast against type as the mother from hell and at times, especially when shot in extreme close up she actually contrives to LOOK like a snake. If, as I did, you see Frot in Les Soeurs Fachees, within twenty four hours you can't help marveling at her range but more of that when I get to The Angry Sisters. In his formative years Bazin lived with his grandmother because his parents were in Indo China and the film kicks off as the grandmother does and the parents return to France to take care of their two sons. Frot's complete lack of maternal instinct has to be seen to be believed as do her Draconian measures - no heat in the boy's bedroom in winter is only the beginning. It's tempting and easy to think that Frot based her characterization on Margaret Thatcher, there is the same coldness, the same aloof autocracy and it was Thatcher, of course, in her role as Minister for Education who famously discontinued the free school milk that children had enjoyed for years, earning her the well-deserved sobriquet Thatcher The Milk Snatcher. Jacques Villeret, also cast against type offers sterling support as the milquetoast husband but it is young Jules Sitruk, so good in Monsieur Batignole, who weighs in with a wonderfully assured performance as the rebellious son. It's difficult to find fault with anything from the acting to the attention to detail in the period setting. One to see again.