realtybytes-1

I disagree with the reviewers who called this movie "pure Christian propaganda." There was nothing remotely Christian-like in this piece of narcissistic fantasy. Generally I love Christian movies, even when the production quality is slightly below par. But this one was just awful.

Badly written (or edited), the script was extremely disjointed, and defied all logic as it jumped from scene to scene with no way to interpret what was happening. And the worst: if viewed by non-Christians, the message is one of extreme intolerance. Totally incongruous with the Christian values shared by millions.

This movie deserved a zero rating, but the lowest rating available was one.

I have always loved the 1961 version, and felt it was masterfully performed by all of the main characters. It also helped that it was filmed in English, as I do not speak French.

This version had none of the slapstick humor of the '61 film, nor any of the anecdotal humor. In a very real way, this is a completely different film. It focuses on the tormented agony of the primary characters. The acting for this approach was nothing short of stellar. I stopped what I was doing so I could pay close attention to the subtitles; this enabled me to also concentrate on the actors' movements and facial expressions. I found myself tearing up along with Fanny.

Bottom line: I will still love the Leslie Caron version for what it is, and equally love this one for what IT is.