See it for it for Cécile. If for no other reason, Cécile de France’s performance and presence as Marthe in BONNARD, PIERRE & MARTHE is absolutely worth the price of admission.
Sumptuous, sensual, sexy, BONNARD, PIERRE & MARTHE is a ravishing romance conceived by Martin Provost, exploring the notion that Pierre Bonnard would not be the famous painter without the enigmatic Marthe appearing in more than a third of his work.
More than a mere muse, Marthe was a soul mate, a symbiotic essence, a true companion in mind and body; sexual, sensual, cerebral. De France embodies this essence in her portrayal, diamond sharp, yet brittle, buoyant with a joi de vrie yet volatile, openly in love but with considered concealments, this is a luminous and layered characterisation.
As Pierre Bonnard, Vincent Macaigne rises to match de France’s superb rendition, a worthy partner in performance essential to the power of the picture.
As much as BONNARD, PIERRE & MARTHE is a study of a universe of two, it is peopled with characters of the art scene of the time, late 19th to mid 20th Century.
Claude Monet was a contemporary and confidant and his presence in the piece is poignant and insightful, in a subtly nuanced portrayal by Andre Marcon.
Anouk Grinberg as Bonnard patron, Misia and Stacy Martin as the tragic Renee are also agreeably nuanced in their performances.
Despair and dissolution, subordination, the overwhelming needs of art and the beauty that can spring from the swings of misery and happiness are all beautifully captured in BONNARD,PIERRE & MARTHE.
Luminously shot by Oscar-nominated and Bafta-winning cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman (“The Artist”), the crew also includes four-time, César-winning costume designer Pierre-Jean Larroque (“Lost Illusions”), and César-winning set designer Jérémie Duchier (“Chocolat”).
A sweeping, soaring portrait of enduring love battle scarred by secrets, jealousies, betrayals and illness, BONNARD, PIERRE & MARTHE is a work of art that delights and engages as much as the artists it depicts.
