Das Liebesdrama von Venedig - George Sand und Alfred de Musset

If you have any interest in French Romanticism, or romanticism in general, see this film. The story is taken from both Musset's & Sand's accounts of the affair that took place. If a film is to be made about a poet, use the poets feelings and even words at the most opportune times, this film does that, and then some. This film is well crafted, from every aspect of its making. The performances by Binoche & Magimel are both riveting and heart wrenching.

If this love were a battle, the filmmaker would most definitely taken the side of Sand. As the truth of this affair left Musset's heart dispirited until his death. Even his friends, like Eugene Delacroix, have said that his pen was a poison that infected his reader like a virus. But all histoire aside, as a film, this is an exquisite piece of work, that is both heart-breaking and entertaining. In the words of the central characters, "Shame on you, who are the first to show me treason. The horror and anger, which made me lose my reason."-Alfred de Musset "The angels are no more pure than the heart of a young man who loves truthfully."-George Sand

Above all watch this film and judge for yourself.

I loved this movie and I don't know to what extent this movie is near to the original story. I have read the life of George Sand and was amazed by her character. A character so tough when it has to do with freedom of doing what one wants. George Sand was one of my best female characters next to Mary Wolstoncroft, Jane Austin, Emmeline Pankhurst and the famous five. Juliette Binoche has played the role magnificently close and made it feel like I was watching the original Sand.

The love story is so beautiful specially the scene when Benoit Magimel sleeps on the street ground under the rain when Sand comes to visit him in her carriage. Waw!... I mean this is a charming scene, it says a lot about the feelings of love.

I was really hoping to find some special quality in the two main characters that I could like. However, self absorbed people are usually too melodramatic about every single aspect of their lives and so I had no sympathy for their predicament at all. So, I settled back and enjoyed Julliet Binochet at work. The film was meticulously crafted and the settings and costumes were wonderful, so I got the time machine effect, too. If you like historical melodrama, you might enjoy this.

"Enfants du siècle" does'nt really mean "Children of the Century", as for the contemporaries it was obvious that it meant "Heirs of the Napoleonic Saga".

This generation, Hugo, Dumas,, Musset, Nerval, Lamartine and Vigny was obsessed by the sad perception that they could not lead the heroïc, larger than life existence experienced by their fathers during the Revolution and Empire - a period (or shortly thereafter) during which they were born. They - and Aurore Dupin de Francueil (aka George Sand) with them - sought vicariously to find fame and glory in literature, particularly in theatre which was the « 7th art » of those days, and in forms of "original living" which would not surprise those reading now on the antics of 'world famous' people. In those days, that was called « Romantism ».

All of them succeeded in literature; but - even though in those days novels, essays, tales, and poems were keenly read - theatre was the big thing: a kind of Hollywood on Seine! And the successful theatre writers and performers had a fame akin to that of our Hollywood stars of today.

So this film should be seen as the biopic of two larger than life "Hollywood stars".

No surprise that passions, drugs, unfaithfulnesses and manifestations of an enormous ego are sprinkled liberally in this film. One may think of the Burton and Taylor duet, but with a wittier and more intellectual bent.

Musset, fabulously talented, has left immortal poems and several theatre pieces which have been rediscovered in the XXth century and which will last; but he has sadly wasted his talent in alcohol (absinthe mainly), drugs and philandering, prostitutes included; he died at 47.

Sand has been the more resilient of the two. She died at 71, a busy grandmother fond of country life, a true precursor of the cause of women's freedom in terms of choosing her (sometimes Saphic) lovers, espousing political causes, and communing with nature.

Sand's "original" life is her real masterpiece; it has a very modern tone. Her writings are numerous and charming, but for me, the literary genius of the two is Musset: most of his writings are masterpieces, even though his life has been a shambles.

It is no surprise then that Diane Kurys takes Sand as her lead character, against a despondent and weak Musset. And I quite understand why - to some reviewers - they both appear boorish, selfish and inspiring few sympathy. But - keeping in mind that Musset and Sand ooze talent and are their generation's Hollywood superstars - you may enjoy this well crafted biopic.

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Contrary to its title, this is not a movie about children in an unnamed century. Instead this movie is about the love/hate relationship between French writers Alfred Musset and George Sand. They are two souls who have a mutual and affectionate understanding of one another until a voyage to Italy reveals their true nature. Passion, envy, trust, betrayal and forgiveness are all brilliantly encompassed in the relationship between Musset and Sand.

I enoyed this movie, though some may find it dull and slow. You may need to be a die-hard romantic or like well-costumed period dramas to watch this movie. My harshest criticism for this film would be that of it's length and even though I enjoyed the turbulent relationship shown in this film, there were times when I thought that their affair had ended for good only for them to reconcile a few scenes later.

This movie is handsomely photographed with wonderful costumes by Christian LaCroix and most magnificent of all, the actors don't seem like they're acting at all. Juliette Binoche is spectacular, both beauitful and natural in her potrayal of Sand. Benoit Magimel is splendid as Alfred Musset. Don't expect historical accuracy, and if you're a romantic at heart, you will not be disappointed.