Duris Makes Molière Triumphantly His Own

I admit to knowing very little about revered French playwright Jean-Baptiste Poquelin aka Molière. So little, in fact, when I learned during the press launch for the most recent Seattle International Film Festival that Laurent Tirard’s comedic what-if drama Molière was the closing night film I almost skipped the press screening. As that would be bad form I of course did not, and while I can’t say this very Shakespeare in Love-like picture didn’t bowl me over enough of it did that I actually went out and purchased a couple of the writer’s plays for some midsummer reading.

Molière (Roman Duris) pitches woo to Célimène (Ludivine Sagnier) in Sony Pictures Classics' Molière

That right there should be enough of a recommendation, but just in case it isn’t then know that even with a couple of speed bumps Tirard’s opus is wildly entertaining, solidly crafted and boasts a fantastic central performance by Romain Duris. I can’t say I loved it, but I certainly adored him, and with moments as uproariously rapturous as the ones found within this multilayered historical comedy I’m more than willing to turn a blind eye to a few flaws keeping it from true magnificence. 

The story begins with fact. At the age of 22, following imprisonment for debt, the French actor Molière disappeared without a trace for several months. Upon his return, he and his trusty group of comedic players the Illustrious Theatre Troupe tour the countryside for thirteen years honing their skills. Once back in Paris, Molière begins to write, composing plays so fondly remembered and studied he is now widely considered the greatest author in the history of the French stage.

But what happened during that odd disappearance? This is where Tirard sets his plot in motion, wealthy bourgeois aristocrat Monsieur Jordain (Fabrice Luchini) freeing Molière (Duris) from his debts in return for helping him woo the beautiful (if spoiled and somewhat destructive) Célimène (Ludivine Sagnier). This sets in motion a dramatically comedic state of affairs involving hidden identities, secret love affairs and one seriously suspicious (and beautiful) wife Elmire (Laura Morante). It is a situation impossible to believe, but through all these travails Molière will have his eyes opened, his world broadened and his artistic skills sharpened, starting him down the path to becoming the legend all will know him as for centuries to come.

As Molière is known as the father of French comedy with plays diving into the worlds of political and bourgeois hypocrisy as well as being astute chronicles of human folly, it goes without saying a film inspired by events in his own life would itself revel in just those very same things. The problem is that, at times at least, the very wit to make this sort of satire zing is sadly missing. There are long dry spells going sadly nowhere, one subplot involving Monsieur Jordain’s beautiful daughter romance with a neighbor particularly silly.

Thankfully these moments are few and far between, the rapturous scenes of Molière and Elmire verbally fencing or of the playwright wittily breaking down the snooty Célimène more than worth the price of admission all on the lonesome. Duris, so good in The Beat that My Heart Skipped, is simply marvelous here. His Molière is a complex creature of intelligence, insecurity, sincerity, obstinacy and burgeoning brilliance. The actor own this character, makes him his own body and soul, and I can’t imagine I’d have enjoyed this movie near as much without him.

So it’s a mixed bag, but then how many films aren’t nowadays? At least Tirard gets enough of it right and has cast things so phenomenally well his Molière is a matinee enchantment few are ever going to complain about watching. More, it gets people interested in the author again, and after reading through both of my newly bought plays (Tartuffe was particularly delightful) that’s one terrific treat I’m truly going to treasure.

Film Rating: êêê  (out of 4)

Additional Links:

-  Molière Theatrical Trailer