Beaumarchais L'insolent (1996 French Movie)

(The Scoundrel)

"Beaumarchais" is based on a play by Sacha Guitry that was never performed. Set in the 1770s, the film opens with Beaumarchais rehearsing actors in his play, "The Barber of Seville". But Beaumarchais was not just a playwright. He was simultaneously a spy, a champion of the French people and the American Revolution, a philanderer and a relentless social climber. Fabrice Luchini gives an outstanding rendition of this multi-faceted character. And with numerous French stars making guest appearances, Molinaro's lavish costume drama stems from the same tradition as the hugely successful "Cyrano de Bergerac".

Dir : Edouard Molinaro
Cast : Fabrice Luchini, Manuel Blanc, Claire Nebout, Michel Piccoli, Michel Serrault
Color/100min/1996