Cento e una notte

I felt like I was in a dream, maybe one of Fellini's dreams of long ago, while I enjoyed every moment of this exciting film. Marcello is wonderful and so are so many others in this film... see DeNiro fall in the pond! Find it, rent it...

Not since Francois Truffaut's "Day for Night" has there been a more loving and jubilant tribute to cinema. The wonderful Michel Piccoli plays an aging legendary actor/director/producer who lives in a glorious country estate, where movie memorabilia line his walls, and famous French and international celebrities drop by daily for visits. Some of the celebrities include Marcello Mastroianni, Gerard Depardieu, Jeanne Moreau, Hannah Schygulla, Alain Delon, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Gina Lollobrigida, and Catherine Deneuve. To name a few! In fact, one of the films' highlights includes a fantasy scene with Deneuve and Robert DeNiro in an elegant boat on an elegant pond, acting like a husband and wife on holiday. DeNiro is speaking French by the way!

The film is simply a tribute to cinema, with all the magic of art direction, music, scenery and of course talent, mixed in a menagerie of reality and fantasy. There's a somewhat uninteresting subplot between a young couple, but the magic induced by all the elements mentioned is intoxicating enough to leave your head swimming for days. This film has that perfect touch that most French films have of being simultaneously sentimental and sophisticated. A perfect balance. The film is more enjoyable if one is well familiar with French cinema, but there's plenty of mention of, and highlights of Hollywood films too. Overall, it is a joy on any level!

Michel Piccoli lives in a mansion outside Paris, filled with the memorabilia of his lifetime, one in which he has been a movie actor, director, producer.... everything. His memory, though has faded, so he hires Julie Gayet to talk to him about old movies. At first she's thrilled with the money, the greats of the movie who come to visit, but gradually she develops a plan to get her hands on the old man's money, so her lover, Mathieu Demy, can make his own movie.

Agnès Varda's movie has a very obvious subtext, about the careless amnesia of the movies, but while the symbols remain constant throughout, with references in the dialogue and sight gags from the previous century, in the end it is a game, a celebration of movies of all sorts, the newest, liveliest, and seemingly moribund lively art that she obviously adores.

With more stars than there are in the heavens.

Monsieur Simon Cinéma is nearly one-hundred years old, and his mind is not what it used to be. He spent decades making movies, but now is largely confined to his palatial villa, surrounded by fleeting memories of what once was. Though he is frequently visited by famous stars of the silver screen, he feels lonely and aged. Cinéma decides to hire a young lady named Camille to spent time with, to talk to him about his career and his greatest love: film. While he enjoys Camille's company, it transpires that she may have an ulterior motive for taking the job beyond bringing some joy back into an old man's life.

Agnès Varda's 'One Hundred and One Nights' is a repetitive, hit-and-miss movie that's less a love letter to film than it is an exercise in navel-gazing. While the large cast of talented actors give mostly strong performances, the film repeats the same schtick over and over again and- what's worse- doesn't seem to have anything to say beyond "cinema is wonderful." Many of Varda's films verge on the grandiloquent, but there's usually a plot involved; this feels like a flimsy excuse to get notable actors to do a five-minute walk-on part (or in the case of Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood, a walk-by part of barely five seconds) for no other reason than to boost Varda's ego.

There is a subplot involving Camille's boyfriend, who wants to shoot a gangster film, which is arguably less compelling than the exploits of Monsieur Cinéma and his famous guests. A major problem with 'One Hundred and One Nights' is that few of the characters are in any way sympathetic or interesting; the young people are especially vacuous caricatures that leave you wondering why the subplot was included at all. It adds nothing to the overall film but more minutes to the run-time.

On the other hand, Eric Gautier's cinematography is striking, especially during Monsieur Cinéma's dream sequences, and the production design is undeniably rich and powerful. Cinéma's villa looks like a treasure trove of cinematic history any film-fan would want to explore. The costume design by Leila Adjir, Françoise Disle and Rosalie Varda is also strong; Monsieur Cinéma's elaborate outfits being particularly well-crafted. If only the terrific sets, costumes and visuals were featured in a film of substance.

It must be said that Michel Piccoli is utterly endearing as Cinéma, bringing intensity, passion and humor to the role that doesn't go unnoticed or unappreciated. However, the character is the only one in the film that's in any way appealing; and that's a serious issue. Audiences are probably meant to like Camille, but she comes across like a horrid, self-interested hussy of no charm whatsoever. Perhaps this is due to Julie Gayet's performance; though more likely it is Varda's direction and writing that is to blame. Camille's boyfriend- played by Mathieu Demy- is a conceited cretin and the rest of the characters are forgettable.

Are there some funny moments in the film? Yes, Piccoli is consistently great and Henri Garcin's turn as his Alain Delon loving butler might give you a few chuckles. Some of the actors are quite good in their cameos as well- Marcello Mastroianni being a real stand-out. However, there isn't enough in the film to warrant a run-time of an hour and forty-one minutes. Had 'One Hundred and One Nights' been a short film, solely about Monsieur Cinéma and a couple of famous visitors talking about film, it would have worked much better.

As it is, the film is over-long and devoid of anything meaningful. To call it a waste of your time might be putting things a little too strongly; but it's certainly not far off the mark. Those who adore Agnès Varda and think she can do no wrong- and there are many of you out there- will probably call the film a masterpiece. It isn't though: it's pretentious, lengthy cinematic claptrap of the highest order.

Agnes Varda, one of the best film directors from France, takes us on a nostalgic trip through the world of cinema. Ms. Varda pays homage to the Lumiere brothers, the inventors that revolutionized the art of making movies, as they keep appearing whenever Simon Cinema, the old character at the center of the film calls for them. The two men show up enveloped in lights, perhaps a tribute and a reference to their surname.

The film concentrates on Simon Cinema and his memories. After all, he has been around for quite a while and has survived many movements and styles during his time as a creator. Simon lives in splendor in a château in the country, attended by his male servant, Firmin, and two maids. Simon decides to employ an assistant to help him sort out his memories. When he engages the lovely Camille, he gets an eager young woman who is in love with a young would be director.

There are great moments in the film as when Simon is visited by Marcello Mastroianni. Both actors, now of a certain age, compare notes from their pictures. Simon Cinema accuses Fellini of copying his bathroom scene in Godadard's "Contempt", in his own "8-1/2". Hanna Schygula and Jeanne Moreau arrive together to see the great man. Alain Delon comes in a helicopter, only to be turned away by Firmin, the servant, who only wants to tell the actor how much he admired him and have him sign his autograph album.

There are other poignant vignettes, like the one involving Sandrine Bonnaire, who arrives at the estate dressed as the vagabond she played in Ms. Varda's own film. Then she changes into a noble woman and finally she transforms herself into Joan of Arc. Catherine Deneuve and Robert DeNiro have a good time together in a small vessel in the pond.

Michel Picolli is excellent as the older man who is recalling the movies. Julie Gayet makes a luminous contribution as Camille. Henri Garcin, is the servant Firmin, a crazy combination of servant and personal assistant. Mathieu Demy, the director's son appears as the aspiring director, Mica.

Ms. Varda created a light film about making movies. The material covers many years of film making, not only in France, but in America, and other places as well. It is indeed a sentimental journey that no cinema fan should miss.