Plot
A chronicle of a young man's rise to power in Paris via his manipulation of the city's most influential and wealthy women.
Release Year: 2012
Rating: 7.0/10 (366 voted)
Director:
Declan Donnellan
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman
Storyline A chronicle of a young man's rise to power in Paris via his manipulation of the city's most influential and wealthy women.
Writers: Guy de Maupassant, Rachel Bennette
Cast: Robert Pattinson
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Georges Duroy
Christina Ricci
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Clotilde de Marelle
Uma Thurman
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Madeleine Forestier
Kristin Scott Thomas
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Virginie Walters
Natalia Tena
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Rachel
Colm Meaney
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Rousset
Holliday Grainger
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Suzanne Rousset
(as Holly Grainger)
Philip Glenister
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James Lance
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Francois Laroche
Pip Torrens
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Paul
Todd Peterson
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Journalist
Jake Harders
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Journalist
Amy Marston
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Nanny
Ceri Jerome
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Dancer
Ryan Ellsworth
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Journalist
Release Date: 2 March 2012
Filming Locations: Budapest, Hungary
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia: Holliday Grainger and Robert Pattinson also starred together in the made for TV movie
The Bad Mother's Handbook.
Quotes: Charles Forestier:
[from trailer]
Charles Forestier:
Georges Duroy, you look terrible. Let me buy you a drink.
User Review
Come ...and meet Georges Duroy!
Rating: 9/10
****this review may contain spoilers****
'Come and meet my wife'
With these words Charles Forestier opens a new world for his former
friend and ex-soldier Georges Duroy. A world where a poor, working man
can only dream of. A world where the high society has its own rules,
where sex is power, where power leads to connections, where connections
lead to the top and where the top is dominated by corruption and
intrigues.
It's the world of Belle Epoque Paris at the end of the 19th century,
with its carriages and boudoirs,its beautiful salons and ladies in
stunning dresses.
Georges Duroy, a poor, handsome man with no special talents but with
the strong ambition to become rich and important, takes the invitation
of his wealthy friend and puts his first steps on the social ladder.
Uncertain and awkward in the beginning, looking how to behave in this
elitist company he learns fast, conquers the hearts of the wives of
influential men (by sleeping with them) to break them shamelessly when
a better opportunity shows up.
Bel ami, film adaptation of the famous classic novel by Guy de
Maupassant, is an adult tale of the rise of Georges Duroy to the top
but also of the dubious and corrupt relationships between politicians
and journalists. These themes are still actual and recognizable, which
makes the movie very accessible. The film makers did a big effort in
creating a wonderful setting as authentic as possible. Also the
costumes are a joy to watch.
The performances were very well done IMO.
Though Robert Pattinson was only 23 when he took this role he held his
own against experienced actresses as Uma Thurman, Christina Ricci and
Kristin Scott Thomas who brought respectively the intelligent
Madeleine, the frivolous Clotilde and the devote Virginie convincingly
to life. Because of his strong screen presence and the way he showed
Georges' evolution from a beginning casanova to the cad he became, Rob
nailed the character and showed that he can have a bright future as an
actor.
Bel ami, though it has dark themes, is entertaining and has more than
once funny moments apart from several steamy sex scenes. It depends of
each one's perception of the movie but I can't help but being amused by
Georges'conquests or is it Robert Pattinson who has succeeded to make
an unlikeable character likable?
If you love period movies, it's a must see. If you don't love them, you
may do after Bel ami.
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