Themes: Unlikely Criminals, Assumed Identities, Witnessing a Crime
Main Cast: Dianne Wiest, Jane Birkin, Stanislas Merhar, Bulle Ogier, Karim Saleh
Release Year: 2002
Country: FR/US
Run Time: 91 minutes
Plot
After making a living by providing English subtitle translation to numerous French films, American filmmaker Andrew Litvack makes his debut as a writer/director with the Merchant Ivory production Merci Docteur Rey. Set in Paris, this farcical comedy involves the troubles of young gay man Thomas (Stanislas Merhar). First his opera diva mother, Elisabeth (Dianne Wiest), comes for a visit and she doesn't know he's gay. When he accepts a blind date with someone from an online chat room, he ends up witnessing a murder and possibly discovering the identity of his real father. Eventually he ends up telling his story to a therapist, who is instead replaced by unstable voice-over actress Penelope (Jane Birkin). Also includes cameo appearances by Vanessa Redgrave, Simon Callow, Bulle Ogier, and Jerry Hall. Merci Docteur Rey was shown at the 2002 Mill Valley Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Didier Flamand - Detective; Roschdy Zem - Taxi Driver; Nathalie Richard - Radio Interviewer; Dan Herzberg - Rollerboy; Simon Callow - Bob; Jerry Hall - Sybil; Vanessa Redgrave - Herself; Vernon Dobtcheff - Francois; Yousry Nasrallah - TV Interviewer; Azouz Begag - Executioner; Hosh Ibrahim - Police Officer; Olivier Augrond - Gigolo 2; Canaan Marguerite - Gigolo 1; Christophe Fleuret - Gigolo 3; Ruth Handlen - Dr Rey; Vanina Vignal - Florist; Franck Lorrain - Boy 1; Johanna Font - Boy 2; Volodia Serra - Boy 3; Johanna Leika - Receptionist; Ilir Selmoski - Horror Movie Actor; Charlotte Schioler - Horror Movie Actress; Michel Filipi - Dubbing Director; Akiko Toda - Liu; Daniel Minerva - Calaf; Jana Bittnerova - Bearded Lady; Adam Kian - Prince of Persia; Hossein Ghavanloo - Sword Swallower; Jocya Ghrenassia - Gypsy Street Singer; Francois De Bartillat - Gypsy Street Singer; Andy Hibbins - Gypsy Street Singer
Credit
Annette Trumel - Casting, Paul Bradley - Co-producer, Pierre-Yves Gayraud - Costume Designer, Patrick Roques - First Assistant Director, Andrew Litvack - Director, Giles Gardner - Editor, Ismail Merchant - Executive Producer, Geoffrey Alexander - Composer (Music Score), Jacques Bufnoir - Production Designer, Laurent Machuel - Cinematographer, Rahila Bootwala - Producer, Nathalie Gastaldo - Producer, Andrew Litvack - Screenwriter
