In Praise of Love (film)
| In Praise of Love | |
|---|---|
 French theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jean-Luc Godard |
| Produced by |
Alain Sarde Ruth Waldburger |
| Written by | Jean-Luc Godard |
| Starring |
Bruno Putzulu Cecile Camp |
| Cinematography |
Julien Hirsch Christophe Pollock |
| Editing by | Raphaëlle Urtin |
| Release dates |
May 15, 2001 (Cannes) October 16, 2001 (United States) |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country |
France Switzerland |
| Language | French |
In Praise of Love (French: Éloge de l'amour) (2001) is a French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The black-and-white and colour drama was shot by Julien Hirsch and Christophe Pollock.[1]
Godard has famously stated that, "A film should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order". This aphorism is illustrated by In Praise of Love (Éloge de l'amour).
Plot
The first half of the film, shot in black and white, relates the story of a frustrated love affair involving a young Parisian scriptwriter struggling to create a "project" about love.
Halfway through the film we are taken back to a period that is about two years in the past. This section is shot in saturated colours employing digital video and involves a meeting with the mysterious young woman who fails to connect with the young writer.
Cast
- Bruno Putzulu as Edgar
- Cecile Camp as Elle
- Jean Davy as Grandfather
- Françoise Verny as Grandmother
- Audrey Klebaner as Eglantine
- Jérémie Lippmann as Perceval
- Claude Baignières as Mr. Rosenthal
- Rémo Forlani as Mayor Forlani
- Mark Hunter as U.S. Journalist
- Jean Lacouture as Historian
- Philippe Lyrette as Philippe, Edgar's Assistant
- Bruno Mesrine as Magician
- Djéloul Beghoura as Algerian
- Violeta Ferrer as Woman 1
- Valérie Ortlieb as Woman 2
Crew
- Directed by Jean-Luc Godard
- Writing by Jean-Luc Godard
- Produced by Alain Sarde and Ruth Waldburger
- Cinematography by Julien Hirsch, Christophe Pollock
- Film Editing : Raphaele Urtin
- Casting : Stéphane Foenkinos
- Costume Design : Marina Thibaut
- Production Management : Joseph Strub
- First assistant director : Gilbert Guichardière, Aurélien Poitrimoult
- Assistant director : Fleur Albert, Christophe Rabinovici
- Sound department : Olivier Burgaud, Gabriel Hafner, Christian Monheim, François Musy, Jean-Alexandre Villemer
- Camera : Emmanuelle Collinot, Léo Mac Dougall, Olivier Regent
Critical reception
The film critic for The New York Times, A.O. Scott, while praising the film also found its anti-American content polemical. He wrote, "In Praise of Love, it must be said, is the most elegant and coherent feature he has made since the mid-1980s. His visual command -- of the velvety shadows of black-and-white 35-millimeter film and the thick, supersaturated tones of digital video -- still has the power to astonish, and his debonair gloom remains seductive. But to continue with the notebook analogy, the decorous prose, graceful penmanship and impressive paper stock cannot disguise the banality of what is written."[2] Film Comment named it one of the top 50 films of the decade (2000s).[3]
Some reviews were more negative. Film critic Charles Taylor criticized Godard for "talking about Americans having no stories of their own, no past of their own (he claims we don't even have a name)"[4] and questioned "How can a man who, along with his colleagues in the French new wave, did more than anyone to alert America to the art of its movies, the art we always took for granted, suddenly turn around and proclaim the whole culture worthless?"[4] Film critic Roger Ebert took issue with scenes in the film in which Godard accuses filmmaker Steven Spielberg of never paying Emilie Schindler for her contributions to his 1993 film Schindler's List, and leaving her impoverished in Argentina. Ebert wrote, "One muses: (1) Has Godard, having also used her, sent her any money? (2) Has Godard or any other director living or dead done more than Spielberg, with his Holocaust Project, to honor and preserve the memories of the survivors?" [5] The claim that Emilie Schindler was living in poverty was also disputed by Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's Ark, who verified that he had sent her a check himself.[6]
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 53% of mainstream critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 70 reviews.[7] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 62 out of 100, based on 27 reviews.[8]
Japanese film critic Shigehiko Hasumi listed the film as one of the best films of 2000-2009.[9]
Awards
Wins
- Valladolid International Film Festival: Jury Special Prize, Jean-Luc Godard; Tied with Va savoir; 2001.
- Fajr Film Festival: Crystal Simorgh, International Competition: Best Film, Jean-Luc Godard; 2002.
Nominations
- Cannes Film Festival: Golden Palm, Jean-Luc Godard; 2001.[10]
- Valladolid International Film Festival: Golden Spike, Jean-Luc Godard; 2001.
- Swiss Film Prize: Swiss Film Prize, Best Film (Bester Spielfilm), Jean-Luc Godard; 2002.
References
- ↑ Éloge de l'amour at the Internet Movie Database.
- ↑ Scott, A.O. The New York Times, film review, "The Melancholy World Weariness of Godard's Twilight Work," October 13, 2001. Last accessed: December 28, 2007.
- ↑ Staff (2010). "Film Comment's End-of-Decade Critics' Poll". Film Comment. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 ""In Praise of Love" - Salon.com".
- ↑ "In Praise Of Love". Chicago Sun-Times.
- ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=vg1Gw6VSK98C&pg=PA265&lpg=PA265&dq=%22searching+for+schindler%22+%22not+a+penny%22&source=bl&ots=Dg6TrltJSU&sig=RkeFksEgrI0qvSmwG2tMYk9ZFU0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7OlTT8X0AY2ftwe7ocGmDQ&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ "In Praise of Love - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ↑ "In Praise of Love (2002): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ↑ Aoyama, Shinji; Hasumi, Shigehiko; Kurosawa, Kiyoshi (2011). Eiga Nagabanashi (in Japanese). Little More. p. 271. ISBN 978-4-89815-313-0.
- ↑ "Festival de Cannes: In Praise of Love". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
External links
- Éloge de l'amour at the Internet Movie Database
- In Praise of Love at Box Office Mojo
- In Praise of Love film clip on YouTube