Life Is a Long Quiet River
- Benoît Magimel: Momo Groseille / Quesnoy
- Valérie Lalonde: Bernadette Quesnoy
- Hélène Vincent: Mme Marielle Quesnoy
- André Wilms: M. Jean Le Quesnoy
- Christine Pignet: Mme Groseille
- Claire Prévost: Roselyne Groseille
- Daniel Gélin: Dr. Mavial
- Catherine Hiegel: Josette
- Patrick Bouchitey: Father Auberger
- Catherine Jacob: Marie -Thérèse
Life is a long quiet river ( original title: La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille ) is a French film directed by Étienne Chatiliez from the year 1988.
Action
The nurse Josette swapped out of anger about her boss and lover, Dr. Mavial who prefer to spend Christmas with his wife than with Josette, two infants. It so happens that Momo ( Maurice), who is actually the rich and educated family Quesnoy listened, growing up in the impoverished Groseilles while Bernadette incorrectly lives in the upper class family Quesnoy.
After twelve years, finally the truth comes to light: When Dr. Mavial even after the death of his wife has no intention, Josette to marry, wrote these three letters; to the two families of infants and swapped Dr. Mavial in which she confesses her deed.
M. Le Quesnoy then decides to bring Momo to himself. It provides the Groseille family at 20 000 francs if they let him Momo. The Groseilles accept this offer gladly, as they are for some time already in dire financial straits and M. Le Quesnoy can take his son home. For now, everything seems to be in perfect order, because Momo lives a good, but he misses his former family and goes to visit his old friends, and this often.
He tells Bernadette who their real parents, so that they uproots and is arrested by the police. Also, the other children of the Quesnoy behave not as good as before. On the contrary, they go swimming in the dirty lake with the Groseilles and the eldest son steals his father's car to his new girlfriend to impress Roselyne Groseille.
In the last scene we see Dr. Mavial and Josette together on the beach. She looks happy and smiling sea, while Mavial tired and slumped sitting in an armchair. The scene is highlighted by the triumphant song " Paris en colère " sung by Mireille Mathieu.
Background
The intoned in the film by Father Auberger (Patrick Bouchitey ) and written especially for the film song Jésus has revient in France so quickly attained cult status, so they decided to release a single. The song is presented in the film during the community celebration of a conservative church congregation of Father Auberger and various young people.
Reviews
The filmdienst ruled: " Such stories only work in fairy tales or in the coarse - comic folk play, and in this mixture newcomer director Etienne Chatiliez also told his witty and fast-paced comedy. Clear that the very, wrong ' world in which the children live, fit for all kinds of small punch, and Chatiliez understands it to list the two parental homes as comic opposites so bizarre that in addition to the very fast autogenous hilarity a few gesellschaftssatirische peaks fall off - not too many, but enough to not completely come down to allow the story to the bawdy laughter cinema. "
Awards
Étienne Chatiliez ' film was nominated in seven categories at the award ceremony of the César Awards in 1989 and was among others in addition to Bruno Nuyttens Artist Biography Camille Claudel and Luc Besson's underwater epic The Big Blue as a favorite to win the most important French film award. The comedy eventually became four won trophies (best first work, Script, Hélène Vincent for Best Supporting Actress and Valérie Lalonde as best young actress ) behind Camille Claudel ( 7 wins ), the second most successful film of the evening.
- Best debut
- Best Screenplay
- Best Supporting Actress ( Hélène Vincent )
- Best Young Actress ( Valérie Lalonde ) nominated in the categories Best Picture
- Best Supporting Actor (Patrick Bouchitey )
- Best Costume Design ( Elizabeth Tavernier )