Jean-Paul Rappeneau, who resuscitated the period swashbuckler in 1995's The Horseman on the Roof, turns his attention to another chestnut genre in this comic throwback to Hollywood's lavish wartime romances of the 1940s and ‘50s, and succeeds admirably (as opposed to failing miserably, as in the case of the Jerry Bruckheimer-Michael Bay flop Pearl Harbor). Set in France at the time of the Nazi blitzkrieg in 1940 that ended the Third Republic and led to the creation of the collaborationist Vichy regime, the picture brings together a wide variety of characters in Bordeaux--among them a self-centered actress (Isabelle Adjani), a lovesick swain (Gregori Derangere) who'd taken the rap for a killing she committed, a slick politician (Gerard Depardieu) also linked to the actress, a scientist (Jean-Marc Stehle) anxious to transport a cargo of heavy water for nuclear experiments to England, and his beautiful but bookish assistant (Virginie Ledoyen). The result is rather like a grand bedroom farce set against the backdrop of an intensely serious event--a woozy Casablanca with a French accent, if you will. Not surprisingly, it's a mixture that could easily have gone awry, but Rappeneau's touch and pacing are so spot-on, and his cast is so in tune with his vision that the result is like a cinematic soufflJ that's both light and sweet. Half parody and half homage, the beautifully crafted, elegantly appointed Bon Voyage makes for a highly enjoyable trip. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
Bon Voyage
Columbia TriStar, 114 min., in French w/English subtitles, PG-13, VHS: $50.99, DVD: $29.95, Aug. 17 Volume 19, Issue 5
Bon Voyage
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