Title: Le Divorce
Country: United States of America
Language:
- English
- French
Cast:
- Kate Hudson
- Naomi Watts
- Esmée Buchet-Deàk
- Melvil Poupaud
- Catherine Samie
- Samuel Labarthe
- Leslie Caron
- Thierry Lhermitte
- Nathalie Richard
- Glenn Close
SYNOPSIS
Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un m'a ditFrench vs. American social customs and behaviors are observed in a story about an American visiting her Frenchman-wed sister in Paris.
REVIEW
I like the book Le Divorce by Diane Johnson so I'm quite happy that its fascinating characters are brought to the screen. The movie is about two sisters who experience firsthand cultural clashes between the American culture that they were brought up in and the French culture that they are currently living in.
Isabel Walker goes to visit her sister who lives in Paris, France. A lot of people help Isabel in understanding the French culture: her sister Roxeanne de Persand who is married to a Frenchman, her boss American writer Olivia Pace who lived in France for years, and her sister's husband's uncle Edgar Cosset who is the quintessential Frenchman.
Roxeanne de Persand: If I were to tell my French friends that Charles-Henri had walked out, they'd say 'Of course'. The French always say 'of course' to everything, like everything is absolutely normal. 'C'est normal', 'Ma bien sur'. I'll never say "But, of course".
Olivia Pace: The French women are extraordinary. I'm thinking of writing a book about them in their native habitat; all their customs and ceremonials. I mean, their scarves alone -- an entire chapter. (1) Knotted in front, one end down, other end thrown over the shoulder. (2) Or looped around double with the ends tucked in. (3) Or around the shoulders over a coat like a shawl. (4) Or tied in the back... Just think of all the words they have for scarf, and in a language which is very sparse of vocabulary.
Roxeanne de Persand: Didn't you hear her? "Sugar grains? Originale!"; meaning 'How bizarre', meaning 'Why don't you have sugar cubes like a proper French girl?'.
Edgar Cosset: You say 'Bonjour, Edgar', not just 'Bonjour'.
Edgar Cosset: There is a certain kind of tisanne made up of a mixture of orange, rosewater, and mint. It's to be drunk before making love... It perfumes the juices... A whole teapot-ful is recommended.
Roxeanne de Persand: Don't expect them to talk about any of this at lunch. They talk about every taboo thing under the sun but money, never. Never.
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Le Divorce
