Ne touchez pas la hache (2007)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Rivette

Writers:

Honoré de Balzac (novel) and
Pascal Bonitzer (writer)

Release Date:

28 March 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Plot:

In Majorca, in 1823, a French general, Armand de Montriveau, overhears a cloistered nun singing in a chapel; he insists on speaking to her...

Plot Keywords:

Nun | Letter | General | Kidnapping | Ball

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jeanne Balibar	...	Antoinette de Langeais
Guillaume Depardieu	...	Armand de Montriveau
Bulle Ogier	...	Princesse de Blamont-Chauvry
Michel Piccoli	...	Vidame de Pamiers
Anne Cantineau	...	Clara de Sérizy
Marc Barbé	...	Marquis de Ronquerolles
Thomas Durand	...	De Marsay
Nicolas Bouchaud	...	De Trailles
Mathias Jung	...	Julien
Julie Judd	...	Lisette
Victoria Zinny	...	La mère supérieure
Remo Girone	...	Le confesseur au couvent
Beppe Chierici	...	L'alcade
Paul Chevillard	...	Duc de Navarreins
Barbet Schroeder	...	Duc de Grandlieu

Also Known As:

The Duchess of Langeais (Canada: English title) (USA) (new title)
Don't Touch the Axe (International: English title)
La duchessa di Langeais (Italy)

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:14A | USA:Unrated | France:U | Argentina:13

Company:

Pierre Grise Productions

Trivia:

Chosen by "Les Cahiers du cinéma" (France) as one of the 10 best pictures of 2007 (#10, tied with "Sang sattawat" and "Hei yan quan")

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Armand is reading the final letter of the Duchess, a wall socket is visible.

Movie Connections:

Version of La duchesse de Langeais (1995) (TV)

Oh, How We Tease

Set in the earlier part of the 19th century in Europe, this story is about a war hero General and the duchess of the title. They carry on an affair which in this film is more words as promises than words as actions. I like the fact that the film begins far from where the film is mainly set, years later. Antoinette, played by Ms. Balibar, is a pretty lady, and their affair is carried out over time. The duchess, however, is married, which of course complicates matters. The film may be a little too long to get to its conclusion, but it is well acted and somewhat absorbing. I would recommend it to anyone who likes these kind of period pieces, if not anyone who craves action mostly. It held my interest though, as I said, it would have been better if they shaved twenty minutes off of it. You may like it.