Divorce, Le (2003)

Director:

James Ivory

Writers (WGA):

Diane Johnson (novel)
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

29 August 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Everything sounds sexier in French.

Plot:

French vs. American social customs and behaviors are observed in a story about an American visiting her Frenchman-wed sister in Paris. |

Plot Keywords:

American Abroad | Feminism | Expatriate | Eiffel Tower Paris | Painting

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Kate Hudson	...	Isabel Walker
Jean-Marie Lhomme	...	Immigration Officer
Naomi Watts	...	Roxeanne de Persand
Esmée Buchet-Deàk	...	Gennie de Persand
Jean-Jacques Pivert	...	Talkative Shopkeeper
Melvil Poupaud	...	Charles-Henri de Persand
Catherine Samie	...	Madame Florian
Samuel Labarthe	...	Antoine de Persand
Leslie Caron	...	Suzanne de Persand
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Edgar Cosset
Nathalie Richard	...	Charlotte de Persand
Samuel Gruen	...	de Persand Child
Peter Wyckoff	...	de Persand Child
Sandrel Lonnoy	...	Maid
Glenn Close	...	Olivia Pace

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:117 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Iceland:LH | Malaysia:(Banned) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:MG6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Café de Flore - 172 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6, Paris, France

Company:

Merchant Ivory Productions

Trivia:

The painting sold before Roxy's LaTour is Claude-Joseph Vernet's "La Nuit, au Port au Clair de Lune", which is in the Louvre's permanent collection.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Isabel and Roxy are walking towards the la Flore to meet Roxy's husband, Isabel's scarf is hanging from her pocket. When they walk into la Flore she is wearing it around her neck.

Quotes:

Roxy: You shouldn't accept expensive gifts from a man.
Isabel: Why?
Roxy: Because it puts you in a position of having to do what he wants.
Isabel: I'd do it anyway.

Movie Connections:

References Ballon rouge, Le (1956)

Soundtrack:

L'Anamour

A gorgeous piece of film-making

I found it surprising that this film was not directed by a French director - it has a certain stylistic feel that is prevalent throughout the French film industry but non-French directors rarely capture. I found the illustrations of the subtle differences between French and American perspectives to be very well handled. For anyone who has lived outside their own country and been thrown into another culture, a great many of the observations and small "inside" jokes shine through. There is an obvious juxtaposition of the two families (one very "typical" American, the other more "old money" French) with the people in the middle (Naomi Watts' and Glenn Close's characters, who are from one "side" but live amongst the others) which is refreshingly handled. Some criticisms here point to a lack of action but this film is very much about style and impressions and less about racking up plot points. The only character that I felt lacked depth was that of Matthew Modine, who seems a bit one-dimensional - despite the huge role in the plot for which he is responsible.