French Revolution for dummies : part 1.

The French Revolution was a local event which rippled through the world : it premiered to Gallic audiences, revolutionary and imperial armies exported it to Europe with mixed reviews and support, it has since triggered countless remakes and sequels.

Its 200th anniversary called for -still unborn- global village celebration.

On July 14, 1989, President Mitterrand entertained world leaders in typical « Ancien Regime » fashion, regaling the G7 aristocracy at his table, while the rest of the world « Tiers-Etat » was relegated to the second class dining room.

All guests nevertheless convened after coffee and « digestifs » to share post-dinner festivities in a heart-warming display of brotherly equality.

On screen too, France was generous enough to celebrate its Revolution with the rest of the world, if only for budgetary reasons.

« La Révolution Française » (1989) is a two-part, six-hour long film, co-produced among Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and France.

Foreign aid was not enough. French citizens were kindly asked to contribute : even by local standards, the movie was heavily subsidised.

Gallic audiences had thus two imperious reasons to attend : patriotic duty and good business sense ; for the additional price of two movie tickets, they had a chance to recoup their unwilling investment, provided the film proved pleasant to watch.

This was not enough to prompt box office success : 150 000 viewers in Paris for part 1, « Les Années Lumière » ; hardly a revolution, just a good-sized street demonstration.

A celebration of revolution, film was produced by an odd couple : Alexandre Mnouchkine was born in Saint-Petersbourg and fled post-October revolution Soviet Union ; Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre was just what his name said : an aristocrat.

There is a nickname for European film co-productions : « europuddings » ; it is not meant as a compliment.
International co-productions sometimes mix awkward creative and political cocktails.

Marie-Antoinette was not French : a sensible casting decision ; she was not Austrian either, but British and played by Jane Seymour.

Nevertheless, the film was not without Austrian acting talent : Klaus Maria Brandauer was Danton.
In1982, Danton was French, like in most History books, and played by Depardieu in the eponymous film by Polish director Andrzej Wajda.

In « La Révolution Française », the Poles settled for Danton’s competing alter ego : Robespierre was played by Andrzej Seweryn ; Polish actors seemed to take a special liking to the part : in Wajda’s « Danton », Wojciech Pszoniak was Robespierre.

Something to do with the character’s nickname : « l’Incorruptible » -the Untouchable- ? his General Jaruzelski smiling demeanour ? political timing ? : on September 12, 1989, Poland celebrated the 200th anniversary of French Revolution with its first non-Communist government since the end of WW2.

Robespierre’s head rolls at the end of « La Révolution Française, part 2 :les années terribles » ; General Jaruzelski gives way to Lech Walesa in less dramatic style in December of 1990.

In the film, La Fayette might have been American : a tribute to his contribution to the US Independence War. He was Australian : Sam Neil.

Marat was Italian : Vittorio Mezzogiorno ; still, he was killed in his bath by Charlotte Corday, who surprisingly was charming and French Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu.

Sir Peter Ustinov’s Vicomte de Mirabeau proved that, even in « Europuddings », there are tasty bites.

Quebecer Gabrielle Lazure’s Princess de Lamballe suggested that, if Louis XV had not lost « la Nouvelle France » to England, French Canada would have sided with his grandson Louis XVI against the rebellion.

In Count Dracula’s absence, Christopher Lee played famed executioner Sanson : the film insistence on Historical veracity had him dispose of his many clients with « la guillotine » rather than with his teeth.

In addition to Charlotte Corday, there were a few French actors scattered in « La Révolution Française » ; the most noteworthy was Jean-François Balmer as Louis XVI : a wry political comment about what had not changed in France since 1789 ?