Le libertin

Depending on your taste, this French movie could be considered either as a raunchy French comedy with arty pretensions or as Gallic-flavored Merchant-Ivory type fare with a refreshing lack of them. The story involves real-life 18th century French "philosoph", Denis Diderot, who is holed up with a bunch of his equally jaded family and friends on the luxurious estate of his friend Baron D'Holbach where he is working on a scandalous encyclopedia propounding his libertine philosophy. When D'Holbach's brother (Michael Serrault), a prominent cardinal, shows up unexpectedly, D'Holbach's wife (Josiane Basko) and Diderot's other various friends try to distract the clergyman from what is really going on at the estate.

This is set in the same era as "Dangerous Liasons" (and also the era of the Marquis de Sade), but for better or worse it is much less serious than the various films based on that literary work. It isn't quite the unbridled sex romp you'd expect for a French film set in this free and loose era. Most of the ribaldry involves Diderot, under the somewhat reproachful gaze of his wife, posing nude for an attractive female painter (Fanny Arnadt). There is some casual adultery mostly involving a promiscuous female party guest (Arielle Dombasle). The sexiest scenes though are undoubtedly the ones where Diderot's daughter (Vahina Giocante) and D'Holbach's daughter (a pre-"Amelie" Audrey Tatou) take a hot tub soak together, or the scene where Diderot's relatively prudish wife (Francoise Lepine) receives a "happy ending" from a studly African masseuse. But this movie is much more raunchy comedy than sex. It's kind of comedy of manners but with no manners.

Vincent Perez is quite good as Diderot, as is Josiane Balasko as the Madame D'Holbach, and Michael Serrault as the cardinal. Francoise Lepine is also pretty good, even though she largely disappeared after this movie. And Fanny Arnadt is ALWAYS worth watching. Tatou and Gicante, meanwhile, have little to do but peel off for their hot tub scene, but actually that is PLENTY. This movie is pretty lightweight, but it's also a pretty fun watch.

A must for those who are not fully foolish to be Hollywoodish!

The reason to pass my comments on this nice French movie was the vote on 05/18/00 equal to 4,7... Really, some IMDb customers miss great atmosphere of the comedy and superb play of the cast.

I definitely want everybody, who never saw charming Vincent Perez, to catch him and the rest in this artificial picture from the life of 18th century philosopher Denis Diderot. Never heard that he was so romantic to walk nude during the creation of his encyclopaedia, never imagined that this didactic tutor (Diderot at the age of 60s was a pen friend of Russian tzarina Ekaterina the Great, when she was 30) was so light. Seems that duet of Perez and Fanny Ardant has a personal sound (just to recall that Vincent dated Jacqueline Bisset).

Movie was shown at Russian satellite channel (NTV+) before it obtained great success in cinemas. Really Russians have better taste than 24 voters rated it from 1 to 6. Please, wipe such bad results and watch Le Libertin again!

The film starts with a bawdy song unmistakably naughty and then follows ever so much suggestive but clever dialogue. There is wicked and mischievous goings-on in and around a beautiful home on the road between Paris and Avignon. This is where Denis Diderot (Vincent Perez) is compiling and printing his banned multi-volume encyclopaedia. My goodness! I had no idea that a 17th Century philosopher could have so much fun putting into print some of his thoughts and experiences. "If it's natural" he says "It must be good for you". He not only says it, but practises it, and no woman seems safe from his ardent approaches.

Amongst all the farcical nonsense, there is some heavy satire on the church's attitude to sex. exotic foods such as chocolate and caviare, musical scores (the pig organ is a delight) and banned literature. Vincent Perez as Diderot plays the character superbly wearing a delightful smile though not much else when he poses for his portrait by the beautiful Madame Therbouche, a so-called painter from Berlin though actually a spy arranged by the Cardinal. Her mission is to locate the clandestine printing presses.

There is plenty of action in the film (and never a dull moment) as Diderot prances naked around the surrounding gardens much to the disgust of the Cardinal. Much of the action is around the Cardinal who must be prevented from finding the printing presses. This is easily arranged by recruiting as many ladies as possible to seek confession of their sins before the Cardinal. Besides attending to his clerical duties, he seems not uninterested in their wickedness.

Finally Diderot falls in love with Madame Therbouche as he seeks her assistance in the preparation of Volume X111. She agrees of course and why not? The last volume is to be all about sensuality, a subject in which both of them are so well versed.

An absolute delight!

A French film set in France in 1789 when the encyclopedia was banned. This was a historical comedy filled with sex, religion and frontal nudity! It was about a man named Denis Diderot (Vincent Perez) who was the creator of the encyclopedia. His wife, Madame Diderot (Francoise Lepine) and his daughter Angelique Diderot (Vahina Giocante). And Audrey Tautou starred as Julie d'Holbach.

This movie was filled with extremely funny moments, the funniest ones were; the "Pig Organ", they were pulled by their tails to create a melody. I was impressed with that. Next, was when Diderot got a boner when seeing Madame Therbouche (Fanny Ardant) while she was painting a portrait of him naked. " Growing start of steadfastness". A cute scene with Baronne d'Holbach (Josiane Balasko) walking her pet pig on a leash and it was dressed up. And lastly, an Adam and Eve scene with Mr Diderot chasing his wife around the garden naked with the Baroness and Le cardinal (Michel Sarrault), the very dramatic one watching.And then, the Cardinal sniffed table salts and the Baroness says:" I feel queasy! I need fresh air!" HA!HA!HA!

There was a terrible scene with the Baroness's pig cooked up as a lunch and she replaced her pig a canary. SHAME! There were also some LOVELY things to see in this film like, the Turkish baths and messages. Beautiful. And the party thrown for the Cardinal with dance music, fire works and wine. Quite something. And at the end, Diderot FELL IN LOVE WITH MADAME THERBOUCHE!!! Uh-oh!

It's lovely to see, hear and have conversations in French. Fun movie! With dance music!

This movie does not really tell what Diderot was for. Everything what it contains is about the primal reactions what his ideas engineered for and how the current morals, which were supervised by the Church, did not fit into them. The real Diderot was a part of some much larger picture than just sexual morals of the French upper class. The knowledge what the 18th century philosophers wanted to represent was equally against the Upper Class as it was against over-dominant Church.

'Le Libertin' has a good pick of French top actors, but those who want to see this only for Audrey Tautou's famous part may find that thing indifferent. The movie is full of various sexual matters but anyway it is all how it was back in the 18th century, and so every idea that is about sex in the film is also historically very accurate and well crafted indeed.