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.

What a great film. Vincent Perez was fabulous as Diderot. I really liked this movie and would recommend it to anyone that is a fan of Vincent Perez and who also likes good French films. I have watched Perez's performance in other films and find he is such a great actor. This film had great acting, great photography, witty dialogue and good casting. The costuming was also really good, with an accurate portrayal of what society would wear in that time period. I really don't want to give away any of the story line so I will stop now, but to all fans of Vincent Perez. Go and see this film. Another note, I also really liked the music used in the film, it portrayed the wittiness of the dialogue.

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.

Played as farce, this quasi-realist setup of Diderot and friends running a semi-secret printing press for his "scandalous" encyclopaedia is great fun.

One could really see this as a french equivalent to a "Carry On.." film, as it relies more on the ensemble casting than on one major player and, for the most part, everyone does their bit. Absurdist fans will love the "pig organ" and the general puncturing of pomposity all round.

Perez himself seems admirably unfazed by long sequences of full-frontal nudity and is supported more briefly by some of the female cast (notably Vahina Giocante) although it's a long way from being a "sex comedy" - just rude.

It is quite important to remember when watching comedies that humor is a very personal thing.

If you are offended by vulgarity; if you hate Benny Hill, and can't see the fun of Barbara Windsor's bikini popping off; and think that concept that breasts have nipples is outrageous; if you think broad humor is a pointless waste of time then this really is not the film for you.

If you thought that France = sophistication, therefore this must be high-brow: then I simply suggest that you get out a bit more.

But if you had read the packet before you watched it you would already know this.

This film is a 'diversion'. A farce. An enjoyment. Treat it as such and you'll be rewarded.