In 1783 Versailles, men lived and died by their wits. This Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film begins with the startling scene in which an elderly man, near death, is visited by a victim of his stinging tongue. The visitor, relishing his revenge, urinates on the gentleman. Into this impolite society rides Gregoire, who desperately needs funds to drain a mosquito-infested swamp. But to catch the king's attention, he must master the art of verbal thrust and parry. When one observer notes, "He's smarter than he looks," our hero rejoins, "That is where we differ, monsieur." Wit is a rare commodity in American films, which makes this rudely funny comedy all the more bracing. Highly recommended. (K. Lee Benson)
Ridicule
(Miramax, 103 min., in French w/English subtitles, R, avail. June 24) Vol. 12, Issue 3
Ridicule
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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