IMDb RATING
7.2/10
9.2K
YOUR RATING
The story of Adèle Hugo's unrequited love for a lieutenant.The story of Adèle Hugo's unrequited love for a lieutenant.The story of Adèle Hugo's unrequited love for a lieutenant.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 11 wins & 5 nominations total
M. White
- Colonel White
- (as Mr White)
Geoffroy Crook
- George, servant at Johnstone's
- (uncredited)
Chantal Durpoix
- Young whore
- (uncredited)
Raymond Falla
- Judge Johnstone
- (uncredited)
David Foote
- David, a young boy
- (uncredited)
Jacques Frejabue
- Cabinetmaker
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaInitially planned as a grand-scale spectacular drama with Jeanne Moreau to play the lead, then Catherine Deneuve (then having an affair with François Truffaut) was considered for the role. The film took 7 years to be made, and finally Truffaut decided on Isabelle Adjani whom he noticed on a TV broadcast of the Comédie Française.
- GoofsThe hypnotist has a plant in the audience pretending to be a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which was not set up until a decade after the story's setting of 1863
- Quotes
Adèle Hugo: I'm your wife. Forever. We'll stay together until we die.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 48th Annual Academy Awards (1976)
Featured review
This is a period movie that takes place in the 1860s in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It concerns an unrequited love between Adele H., the daughter of Victor Hugo, and a member of the English military stationed there. It is directed by Francois Truffaut. At the film's beginning, there is some narration about the involvement of the French and British in the American Civil War, but the Civil War plays no part in the movie.
I enjoyed the feel of this film. French actress Isabelle Adjani superbly plays a woman whose love is rejected and who inches down a slippery slope to madness. The costumes and scenery ring true, and the movie conveys the feel of the Canadian Atlantic province. It was also interesting to learn this sidelight about Victor Hugo.
Most of all, I enjoyed this film because it raises the question of whether its main character is crazy to begin with or whether, being possessed of such a strong love, it was a natural progression to madness when it was rejected. It raises, but of course does not answer, what causes such a potent love to arise and what is the consequence of its extinguishment.
I enjoyed the feel of this film. French actress Isabelle Adjani superbly plays a woman whose love is rejected and who inches down a slippery slope to madness. The costumes and scenery ring true, and the movie conveys the feel of the Canadian Atlantic province. It was also interesting to learn this sidelight about Victor Hugo.
Most of all, I enjoyed this film because it raises the question of whether its main character is crazy to begin with or whether, being possessed of such a strong love, it was a natural progression to madness when it was rejected. It raises, but of course does not answer, what causes such a potent love to arise and what is the consequence of its extinguishment.
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $509
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,206
- Apr 25, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $509
- Runtime1 hour 36 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content