Ne touchez pas la hache (2007)

Director:

Jacques Rivette

Writers:

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

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
Birgit Ludwig	...	Diane de Maufrigneuse
Denis Freyd	...	Abbé Gondrand
Claude Delaugerre	...	Auguste
Laurent Battist	...	Passer-by
Evelyne Byot	...	Passer-by
Emmanuel de Chauvigny	...	Passer-by (as Manu de Chauvigny)
Christian Lambert	...	Passer-by
Hélène Liber	...	Passer-by
Marc Mameaux	...	Passer-by
Bruno Mary	...	Passer-by
Lionel Mur	...	Passer-by

Directed by
Jacques Rivette

Writing credits
Honoré de Balzac		(novel "La duchesse de Langeais")
Pascal Bonitzer		writer
Christine Laurent		writer
Jacques Rivette		writer

Produced by
Roberto Cicutto	....	producer
Martine Marignac	....	producer
Luigi Musini	....	producer
Ermanno Olmi	....	producer
Maurice Tinchant	....	producer

Original Music by
Pierre Allio

Cinematography by
William Lubtchansky

Film Editing by
Nicole Lubtchansky

Production Design by
Emmanuel de Chauvigny

Costume Design by
Maira Ramedhan Lévy

Makeup Department
Evelyne Byot	....	key makeup artist
Dianne Jamieson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Claire Burnoud	....	assistant production manager
Sébastien Didelot	....	assistant unit manager
Christian Lambert	....	production manager
Anne-Claire Loridant	....	assistant unit manager
Susanna Lo	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shirel Amitay	....	first assistant director
Denis Kralj	....	second assistant director
Marc Mameaux	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Carine Demongueres	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Pascal Despres	....	boom operator
Florian Eidenbenz	....	sound recordist
Bernard Le Roux	....	sound mixer
Dominique Vieillard	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
André Atellian	....	grip
Nicolas Blampain	....	electrician
Jim Howe	....	electrician
Jim Howe	....	gaffer
Moune Jamet	....	still photographer
Irina Lubtchansky	....	assistant camera
Raphael Van Sitteren	....	electrician

Editorial Department
Catherine Aladenise	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Lydia Bigard	....	script supervisor
Florence Gatineau-Saillant	....	location scout
Bosco Justine	....	press assistant
Mauro Monachini	....	accountant: Italy
Piernicola Pinnola	....	production secretary
David Thooris	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Pierre Grise Productions
• Cinemaundici (co-production)
• arte France Cinéma (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• CinéCinéma (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne (participation)
• Procirep (participation)
• Région Ile-de-France (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (in partnership with)

Distributors

• Artificial Eye (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cetera International (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Les Films du Losange (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Národní Filmový Archiv (NFA) (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Cinécam  camera equipment provided by
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Transpalux  lighting

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)

A Cinematic Sleeping Pill

Okay, I'll admit it. I've only seen a couple of Jacques Rivette's films apart from this one (Celine & Julie Go Boating & Le Belle Noisettes). I had heard prior to seeing those that Rivette was always one to make it difficult for audiences (timing being one:a standard Rivette film clocks in no less than two and a half hours). 'Ne Touchez Pas La Hache' is a beautifully filmed exercise cinematic narcolepsy. The characters seem to sleepwalk their way throughout this film. A few of the other cinephiles in attendance seemed to get their jollies from this film. To each their own, I say. I guess I should see some more of Rivette's work before I toss in the towel on him (I still prefer Trufaut,or even Goddard,among the French "new wave" directors).