Lavishly filmed showing all the beauty and dreariness of 1800’s France, the film Madame Bovary is now available on Blu-ray and DVD. This production marks at least the sixth time the film has been brought to the big screen and TV. Not much different in story as the 2000 release starring Frances O’Connor as the cheating wife, but let me analyse this film as if you had not seen it or even read the novel. As most costume dramas and period pieces go, this depiction of the book by French writer Gustave Flaubert written in 1856 isn’t half bad. If you would like a pleasant afternoon with tea, toast and a heartfelt movie, then you will be thoroughly entertained.
The story centers on both Emma, a young girl who was educated in a convent home following the death of her mother, and Charles Bovary a young doctor just establishing his practice in rural France. After a chance meeting at her farm, Charles finds himself smitten by Emma’s beauty and grace. Allowed to court her, they get married and live in a small town in France miles from the city of Rouen. Bored with her life however, she decides to change her circumstance.
So begins a tale of deceit, adultery and a falling from grace. Director and screenplay writer Sophie Barthes does a nice job of filming the costume drama and putting all the pieces together in settings that are sometimes breathtaking. While she does move the story along focusing on young Emma’s rise in status and wealth, the film downplays Charles’ hard road to becoming the doctor. This lack of empathy for Charles hurts the film as Emma’s wrong doings become more of her boring situation, thus down playing her dastardly deeds. In addition, the outside influences that cause Emma to react to her boredom are more sex driven than psychologically motivated.
Cold and calculating even the support characters take advantage of the unhappy woman. Local clothing, furnishings and accessories monger Monsieur Lheureux, played aptly by Rhys Ifans, feeds off the woman’s desire to have nice dresses and other lavish things. He moves into the couple’s affairs working them into debt. Ifans’ performance tops any of the characters in this star studded film and his performance alone is worth the watch.
I do like Mia Wasikowsa (Jayne Eyre) as an actress, but in Madame Bovary she has to deal with a dull script much like the life of her character. While her beauty transfer’s nicely to the screen, her cold and calculating role just doesn’t feel right. There’s no chemistry between her and Henry Lloyd-Hughes who plays a wimpy Charles who seems to not care if he gets cheated on. Her lovers played by Ezra Miller as Leon Dupuis a budding lawyer gets most of her attention both in and out of the bedroom. But Logan Marshall Green who portrays the robust Marquis D’Andervilliers gets a chance for a wild and wicked roll in the hay with the wanton woman. Maybe the film has been made too many times for me to take any liking to it, but the only thing we can get out of Mia’s performance is a nice smile, a whiny personality and an angry outlook on life.
However beautifully filmed, Madame Bovary isn’t more than just another walk into the historical past. It falls far below other period peices like Far From the Madding Crowd (2015), Magic in the Moonlight (2014), Effie Gray (2014), A Little Chaos (2014), Beloved Sisters (2014), Miss Julie (2014), Mary Queen of Scotts (2013), Belle (2013), The Invisible Woman (2013), Anna Karenina (2012), A Royal Affair (2012), Young Gothe In Love (2010) and some of my favorites Shakespeare in Love (1998), Sense and Sensibility (1995), A Room with a View (1985), Howard’s End (1992), and The Remains of the Day (1993).
Madame Bovary has been rated R by the MPAA for some sexuality/nudity. The only winner here is the cinematography that captures the gorgeous countryside and quaint villages melding them with nicely draped interiors depicting 1800’s France. Be cautious when deciding to allow immature children see the film as it does have scenes that are inappropriate for adolescents.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Performances are lacking and direction not up to par. (C-)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Mia Wasikowsa, Rhys Ifans, Ezra Miller, Logan Marshall-Green, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Laura Carmichael, Olivier Gourmet, Paul Giamatti.
Director and screenplay writer: Sophie Barthes
MPAA Rating: R for some sexuality/nudity
Genre: Costume Drama, Period Piece, Romance
Running Time: 1 hr. 58 min
Original Theatrical Release Date: June 13, 2015
Video Release Date: August 4, 2015
Language: English
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray
Audio: Dolby True HD
Video: 16×9 Widescreen
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: Alchemy
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
