Main Cast: Olivier Martinez, Juliette Binoche, Isabelle Carré, François Cluzet, Jean Yanne
Release Year: 1995
Country: FR
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In this beautifully mounted historical drama, Angelo Pardi (Olivier Martinez), an Italian soldier, is fleeing his country in 1832. After the fall of Napoleon, Austria is swooping down on Italy to take control of the nation, and like many patriots, Pardi is hoping to escape to France and fight for their freedom abroad rather than submit to Austrian rule. However, as Pardi discovers upon arival, an epidemic of cholera is sweeping the land, leaving death in its wake and causing most people to be fearful of strangers, who may well be infected. As he tries to outrun a trio of mercenaries who have been hired to take him back to Italy, he finds himself accused by a group of villagers of infecting their water supply. Trying to escape would-be captors on all sides and searching for refuge in a rainstorm, Pardi finds a house and takes shelter inside. Unknown to Pardi, Pauline (Juliette Binoche), the lady of the house, is at home, but to his pleasant surprise, she welcomes him cordially rather than sending him away. It seems that Pauline's husband is missing, and as she desperately wants to find him and Pardi needs to escape to friendlier circumstances, they travel together through the French countryside, hoping to avoid both the disease and the tragedy travelling in its wake. Reportedly the most expensive French production ever made at the time of its release, Le Hussard Sur Le Toit (released in the United States as The Horseman on the Roof) was nominated for ten Cesar Awards (the French Oscar); it won two, for Best Cinematography and Best Sound. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Claudio Amendola - Maggionari; Gérard Depardieu - Magistrate; Pierre Arditi - Monsieur Peyrolle; Françoise Blanc - Lucienne; Carlo Cecchi; Yvonne Gamy - Grandmother; Robert Lucibello - The Man in the Apron; Yolande Moreau - Madame Rigoard; Christophe Odent - Monsieur Barthelemy; Jacques Pater - Militiaman; Frederique Ruchaud - Madame Marquerite; Daniel Russo - Rigoard; Jacques Sereys - The Old Man; Jean-Marie Winling - Alexandre Petit, representative; Paul Freeman - Laurent de Theus; Philippe Guegan - Austrian Agent; Christiane Cohendy - Madame Peyrolle; Carlos Moreno - Harvester; Elizabeth Margoni - The Farmer's Wife; Laura Marinoni - Carla; Richard Sammel - Franz, their leader
Credit
Frederique Moidon - Casting, Franca Squarciapino - Costume Designer, Frédéric Auburtin - First Assistant Director, Jean-Paul Rappeneau - Director, Noëlle Boisson - Editor, Bernard Bouix - Executive Producer, Jean-Claude Petit - Composer (Music Score), Joel Lavau - Makeup, Ezio Frigerio - Production Designer, Jacques Rouxel - Production Designer, Christian Marti - Production Designer, Thierry Arbogast - Cinematographer, René Cleitman - Producer, Ezio Frigerio - Set Designer, Jacques Rouxel - Set Designer, Christian Marti - Set Designer, Pierre Gamet - Sound/Sound Designer, Jean Gouldier - Sound/Sound Designer, Jean-Claude Carrière - Screenwriter, Nina Companeez - Screenwriter, Jean-Paul Rappeneau - Screenwriter, Jean Giono - Book Author
The film explores two significant historical events: the 1832 cholera outbreak in southern France, and the efforts by Italians to wrest independence from Austrian control.
The main male character, Colonel Angelo Pardi, is an Italian nobleman with a purchased rank in the cavalry (hence the "horseman" in the title), but is in France attempting to raise money for the revolution. Going through a number of close encounters as he avoids and escapes from Austrian spies, he eventually encounters the female lead, Pauline de Théus, wife of the Marquis de Théus, in her house in a city she is visiting. She has delayed her stay, awaiting her husband's return and provides Colonel Pardi shelter for the night. Evacuation of the city separates them, but a later meeting sees them banding together to accomplish their own objectives, his being at this time to return to Italy with his funds, she searching for her husband.
Awards
The movie won the César Awards for Best Cinematography (Thierry Arbogast) and Best Sound (Pierre Gamet, Jean Goudier, Dominique Hennequin), and was nominated for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Music Written for a Film (Jean-Claude Petit), Best Editing (Noëlle Boisson), Best Costume Design (Franca Squarciapino), Best Production Design (Jacques Rouxel, Ezio Frigerio, Christian Marti) and Most Promising Actress (Isabelle Carré).
The film is notable, considering our "modern" sensibilities, in that Colonel Pardi acts very honorably and respectfully towards the Marquise de Théus in some very awkward and vulnerable situations. The movie is a good study showing one perspective on what might have, at the time, been considered proper treatment of and behavior towards a "lady".
In fact, the relationship could rightly be called platonic, but that seems too simple and one-dimensional a word to use, for much, if not all, of the platonic nature stems from Colonel Pardi respecting the fact that Pauline is married. The relationship certainly does not, in the "modern" sense of the phrase, have the allure of the phrase "epic romance" that appears on the movie poster on this page. In fact, the picture on the poster implies an overt and visible aspect to the relationship, when in fact it is more subtle in nature. The movie portrays well the possibility of a relationship between a man and woman where they have emotions, but keep them in control, maintaining the proper behavior given their stations in life.
