Le colonel Chabert

Most of other reactions by subscribers to this service were very apt, although that some found it slow or ambiguous puzzled me. Rather than ambiguous, it was complex and multi-layered in its meanings. One can see it as anti-war, because of the opening and closing scenes, and the folly of pretended grandeur, as how wonderful the cavalry men looked as they prepared for the great charge at Eylau, contrasted with its so horrible and disturbing conclusion, when we see the bloody uniforms, the boyish dead, etc--but chiefly, I see the film as about a moral man in an immoral society. At the end Chabert chooses retreat from the corrupt post-Napoleonic French world and opts for the simple pleasures provided by Derville (who himself is saved by his recognition of Chabert's basic decency and the morality of his choice of renunciation)--white bread, cheese, some wine and tobacco--over the riches he leaves to his wife, and her and society's dishonor. In her case, we can see the film as also feminist, in the position of women at that time, in which the only weapons Mme Chabert has are her charm, beauty, wiles and, ultimately, money.

Why risk your life in the battlefield for your country if all you achieve is helping social hyenas gain what they are after: money and social climbing. Great adaptation of Balzac's novel. Balzac knew the world of post-Napoleonic era well. Everything was for sale. Colonel Chabert who would renounce all his entitlements, except his honorable name, for his money-hungry ex-prostitute turned countess ex-wife, disgusted with the world of new hyenas, decides to retreat to the more truthful world of a mental asylum.

This is an unfortunately unrecognized classic.

The look is superb, the design, costumes etc are flawless, the post battle scenes and the cavalry charge are both chilling and exciting.

The characters are vivid and really human. Ardent is right and Fabrice Luchini as the lawyer Derville steals the movie with his clever pedantic rodent-like performance, delighting in the ups and downs of others' misfortunes. Depardieu is good but perhaps too large a presence for this role.

Where the film really excels is the story and also its changes from Balzac's novella. Those changes are editorial in that Balzac has lots of discussion on society and this film breaths with characters. Nevertheless Yves Angelo has retained the key ingredient, not just the missing man trying to regain his place in society but every character has to find their place in society: the Comte Ferraud is trying to buy a peerage, his wife (Ardent) comes from a lowly birth and when she was married to Colonel Chabert they achieved their position in the turbulence of post-revolutionary France. Everyone has something to lose in terms of status and that makes for a good drama as their objectives are in conflict with each other.

It also feels very modern: money is critical to buy status to reach power, but someone can go down as quickly as they go up. Derville enjoys the strategy, he has seen the worst of people he says to Chabert when he takes the case. This speech's original place is at the end of the novella as Balzac sums up the human comedy with huge irony.

Colonel Chabert is one of the best adaptations from novel to screen I have seen in the movies. It combines the realism of French cinema with excellent characterisation, from Depardieu's lost Chabert to Fabrice Luchini's proud Lawyer to Fanny Ardant's complex widow. The movie has wonderful dimension, as you might expect from a top cinematographer such as Yves Angelo. The characters keep this movie in gear and although a bit slow in the beginning, picks up pace and is a fine movie by the time it reaches the finish.

The French movie Le colonel Chabert was shown in the U.S. as Colonel Chabert (1994). Yves Angelo directed it. It's the story of a brave, highly decorated cavalry officer in Napolean's army, who is left for dead on the battlefield. He leads a horrible existence for ten years, until he finally manages to return to France. In his absence, his wife has remarried, and now has two children. She also has all of his fortune. Who is going to believe Chabert's story's? Chabert finds someone who believes him. It's the almost superhuman Attorney Derville. The problem is that Derville is also the attorney for Chabert's former wife.

Gerard Depardieu plays Colonel Jabert. He is a consummate actor. We know it and Director Angelo knows it. Fanny Ardant is the former wife. When she's on screen, you can't take your eyes off her. She isn't beautiful in the classic Hollywood way; she's beautiful in the French way. She has strong features that tell us that she's competent and capable. When Chabert asks Derville to describe her, he uses just one word--superb.

Believe it or not, I think the best acting is displayed by Fabrice Luchini as Derville. His part is complex, because Derville is an unlikable character. He's snobbish, arrogant, and absolutely certain about his professional talents. Luchini becomes Derville. It's worth seeing the movie just to watch him act.

We saw this movie on the small screen. (Actually on--gasp--VHS.). It worked very well. Colonel Chabert has a so-so IMDb rating of 7.0. It's better than that. Find it and watch it.