and just about everyone else. Who knew that deception, treachery, and revenge could be this tedious.
Although the period production design is reasonable, this film suffers from lax direction and the presence of an `international cast', with the resultant mix of accents and acting styles. Of the better known thespians, Geraldine Chaplin again demonstrates that she inherited her mother's looks but not her father's talent, whereas the best that can be said of Americans Elizabeth Shue and Jessica Lange is that they are woefully miscast.
As a courtesan, Ms. Shue exhibits about as much ability to drive men to ruin as a stale baguette, while a rosy-cheeked, unwrinkled Ms. Lange delivers a studied, monotone performance relieved only by occasional lapses into a southern accent.
This Gallic debacle left this reviewer wondering if the final musical sequence was indicative of a certain regard for the audience, and firmly convinced that bringing French literature to the screen is best left to the French.
Although the period production design is reasonable, this film suffers from lax direction and the presence of an `international cast', with the resultant mix of accents and acting styles. Of the better known thespians, Geraldine Chaplin again demonstrates that she inherited her mother's looks but not her father's talent, whereas the best that can be said of Americans Elizabeth Shue and Jessica Lange is that they are woefully miscast.
As a courtesan, Ms. Shue exhibits about as much ability to drive men to ruin as a stale baguette, while a rosy-cheeked, unwrinkled Ms. Lange delivers a studied, monotone performance relieved only by occasional lapses into a southern accent.
This Gallic debacle left this reviewer wondering if the final musical sequence was indicative of a certain regard for the audience, and firmly convinced that bringing French literature to the screen is best left to the French.