Maurice Richard (film)

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Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard poster
Directed by Charles Binamé
Produced by Daniel Louis
Denise Robert
Written by Ken Scott
Starring Roy Dupuis
Julie LeBreton
Stephen McHattie
Cinematography Pierre Gill
Editing by Michel Arcand
Distributed by Alliance Atlantis
Release date(s) 2005
Running time 124 mins
Country Canada
Language French, English
IMDb profile

Maurice Richard is a film about legendary ice hockey player Maurice "The Rocket" Richard. It was released in English as The Rocket: The Maurice Richard Story. It stars Roy Dupuis in the title role and is directed by Charles Binamé.

Filmed in Québec for a budget of (CAD) $8,000,000 by Alliance Atlantis and Odeon and first released in French throughout the province of Québec in November 2005, it was released in movie theaters with English subtitles in April 2006. The distribution rights were marketed at the Cannes Film Festival by Telefilm Canada, whose news release of 30 May 2006 reports that "Cinémaginaire producer Denise Robert inked deals for The Rocket (Maurice Richard) with five Scandinavian countries: Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Denmark."

Contents

[edit] About the movie

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This is a biographical movie (or biopic) about an era can be considered as the corner stone of the NHL's history as well as of hockey's history. It also exposes the life of the Rocket beginning with his years as a teenager. The film presents historical facts, such as the depression just before WW2, and the social divisions (as those cages that surrounded an area reserved for cheaper seats in the Forum). Most of the dialogue in the hockey scenes is in English, as is the dialogue in scenes involving the team, coaches, and so on, which is "by respect of historical facts" in the original French version. Stephen McHattie is superb as coach Dick Irvin, one of the most credible portrayals of a coach in sports movies. The movie also heightens some historical and electrifuing events, like the year when Richard broke Joe Malone's record for most goals scored in a season, a record that most considered unbeatable.

The dialogue and hockey scenes are also true to reality; they were reviewed by Richard himself before he died and also by his wife, his children, and Dick Irvin Jr's written and recorded testimonies and memories about his father (he was the first Mr. "Hockey Night in Canada" on CBC), reporters, and so on. The events presented as facts and the dialogue can be recalled and related by real people who lived during the time period covered by the film and thus verified by multiple bibliographical and living sources, perhaps including thousands: family, their friends, the public, and the media recording those events, various journalists reporting on the events of that time, Richard's barber, previous teams in the juvenile league (he actually played for five different teams in different leagues). What is shown in the movie, is what made such a man a true Canadian hero, as it really was and took place during those days. It is also a true love story.

[edit] What the movie does not cover

After the first half of his career, the Rocket was invited to European countries and was received as a hero and acclaimed wherever he traveled. He was recognized by the queen of England with a title[citation needed] and acclaimed in Russia and Czechoslovakia. This part of his life is not in the movie, perhaps because room had to be made for actual hockey clips.

The movie stops the year before Richard brought Montreal to an unrivalled record of five Stanley Cup Championships in a row.

[edit] Awards and recognition

The film was nominated in 13 categories for the 27th Genie Awards in 2007 and won nine of the 22 awards handed out (with its awards listed first below in bold print):

  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Roy Dupuis
  • Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Julie LeBreton
  • Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Stephen McHattie
  • Best Direction: Charles Binamé
  • Best Art Direction/Production Design: Michel Proulx
  • Best Cinematography: Pierre Gill
  • Best Costume Design: Francesca Chamberland
  • Best Editing: Michel Arcand
  • Best Sound Editing: Claude Beaugrand, Olivier Calvert, Jérôme Décarie, Natalie Fleurant, Francine Poirier
  • Best Overall Sound: Claude Hazanavicius, Claude Beaugrand, Luc Boudrias, Bernard Gariépy Strobl
  • Best Motion Picture: Denise Robert, Daniel Louis
  • Best Original Screenplay: Ken Scott
  • Best Music – Original Score: Michel Cusson

It was also nominated for a Jutra Award in 14 categories, including Best Actor for Roy Dupuis; but it did not receive the award.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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