Children of the Century
Children of the Century | |
---|---|
Film Four (UK) (Canada)Alliance Atlantis | |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 135 minutes |
Country | France |
Language | French |
Budget | $14.5 million |
Box office | $4.1 million[1] |
Children of the Century (French: Les Enfants du siècle) is a 1999 French biographical drama film co-written and directed by Diane Kurys. It is based on the tumultuous love affair between two French literary icons of the 19th century, novelist George Sand (Juliette Binoche) and poet Alfred de Musset (Benoît Magimel).
Plot summary
The story begins as George Sand leaves her marital home and arrives in Paris with her two children. Meanwhile, the young poet and dandy Alfred de Musset is busy making a name for himself both as a womaniser and a talented poet and critic. Sand and Musset first meet at a literary dinner and quickly recognise in each other a like-minded love of literature. At first their relationship remains platonic, but soon the pair embark on a tumultuous affair that will lead them to Venice and the creation of their finest works of literature.
Cast
- Juliette Binoche as George Sand
- Benoît Magimel as Alfred de Musset
- Robin Renucci as François Buloz
- Stefano Dionisi as Pietro Pagello
- Karin Viard as Marie Dorval
- Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve
- Isabelle Carré as Aimée d'Alton
- Gustave Planche
- Olivier Foubert as Paul de Musset
- Marie-France Mignal as Madame de Musset
- Ludivine Sagnier as Hermine de Musset
- Robert Plagnol as Jules Sandeau
- Michel Robin as Larive
- Mathias Mégard as Eugène Delacroix
- Arnaud Giovaninetti as Alfred Tattet
- Pascal Ternisien as Boucoiran
- Victoire Thivisol as Solange
- Julien Léal as Maurice
- Jean-Claude de Goros as Capo de Feuillide
Background and production
The film was shot on location in
Soundtrack
The soundtrack album to accompany the film was released by
Release
Premiere
Les Enfants du Siècle made its world premiere out of competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival, before being released in French theatres on September 22, 1999.
The film made its North American debut at the 1999 Toronto International Film Festival.
The film made its UK debut as part of the Martell French Film Tour in September and October 2000,[3] followed by a conventional cinematic run starting on April 6, 2001.[4]
Critical reception
The film garnered a middling reception, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a score of 43% based on 42 reviews and an average rating of 5.2 out of 10. The site's consensus states: "This romance is more soapy than historically compelling."[5]
Versions
The film was released in two versions with different running times. The long version as released in France on September 22, 1999, has a running time of 135 minutes. It begins as Sand abandons her husband and arrives in revolution-torn Paris and Musset's father dies of cholera. A shorter version was released in Germany, the UK, and other territories, with a running time of 105 minutes. It begins at the literary event where Sand and Musset met and ends with their final meeting. The longer version goes on to show Sand's attempts to see the dying Musset, and ends with her reading her letters to him by his tomb.
The film was released under the English-language title Children of the Century in the US by
Books
Two books were published in conjunction with the film: Les Enfants du Siecle (
References
- ^ "Les Enfants du siècle (1999) - JPBox-Office".
- ^ a b "Following Sand's footsteps". The Irish Times. 1999-03-20. Archived from the original (fee required) on 2012-10-12. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
- ^ Demetrios Matheou (2000-10-01). "So, who's afraid of a few subtitles? We are". The Independent. Archived from the original (reprint) on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
- ^ SF Said (2001-03-24). "French resistance". Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 2008-03-25. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
- ^ "The Children of the Century". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. 2023-11-25. Retrieved 2023-11-25.