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| Author | Topic: "Impromptu" |
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 Sister Rose
Registered User
Registered:
5/4/2004
From:
NYC | posted: 3/2/2005 at 11:21:49 PM ET
I just finished watching "Impromptu". If you haven't, rent it. It's good and based on true story of feminist poet/novelist George Sand and Chopin. Bernadette is great in it. I must say it is one of the only movies of hers that I have truly enjoyed.
Impromptu on Amazon
"Anyone who stays home is DEAD!"
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Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 3/2/2005 at 11:59:24 PM ET
I agree. It's one of those rare, truly GOOD movies that Bernadette just happened to be in, and happened to give a great performance in. For once, you don't have to suffer through anything to enjoy her cinematic acting abilities. As Sister Rose said, if you haven't seen it, go get it!
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 3/3/2005 at 12:38:54 AM ET
Sorry-I didn't like this,especially the characterization of Bernadette's character. Marie d'Agoult was a political commentator (under the pseudonym Daniel Stern),journalist,and historian of a three volume work on the French 1848 revolution. But her characterization in the movie is completely the opposite,from what I remember. Of course,it's been some time since I've seen it. Bernadette was excellent,of course,and such a role,but it would have been nice if there had been this much more. Sorry to be such a wet blanket...
Marie d'Agoult:The Rebel Countess
Jenn
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 Chip1012
Registered User
Registered:
7/13/2003
From:
Boston | posted: 3/3/2005 at 12:46:50 AM ET
Excellent choice Sister Rose! I also love this film. I hadn't seen it in a few years and bought it in the fall, it was so great to revisit it. Bernadette isn't so nice in this one 
Judy Davis is wonderful! The only other film of hers I've seen (which should be required viewing) is Me and my Shadows. My acting teacher reccomended that I rent "Where Angels Fear to Tread," saying that it's her best work.
Anyone see it?
"Anything you do
let it come from you-
then it will be new."
~Sunday in the Park with George
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 3/3/2005 at 12:50:49 AM ET
Chip-it's been a few years since I've seen Where Angels Fear to Tread,but I also remember Helena Bonham Carter giving an excellent performance as well. A very bleak movie,but the performances are memorable. It's a Merchant Ivory production,if that means anything,positive or negative,to you.
Another thing about Impromptu-this is one of Emma Thompson's very early films,and if you've never seen one of her comedic roles,this is one to see.
Jenn
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Sister Rose
Registered User
Registered:
5/4/2004
From:
NYC | posted: 3/3/2005 at 7:18:28 AM ET
Here here everyone!
Thanks Jenn for the info on Marie d'Agoult - I didn't realize she was a "real" person as well. I did look up George Sand and she was indeed interesting.
"Where Angels Fear to Tread" is great but I'm a big Merchant Ivory fan, not to mention a fan of E.M. Forster novels. Beautiful stories that are done justice by E.M. Forster (my favorite is "A Room With a View")
I'm just so happy that I finally saw Bernadette in a movie that didn't make me cringe.
"Anyone who stays home is DEAD!"
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 3/3/2005 at 8:55:10 AM ET
quote:
I'm just so happy that I finally saw Bernadette in a movie that didn't make me cringe.
And that's too bad.
Jenn
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Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 3/3/2005 at 9:05:24 AM ET
Yeah, it's definitely not intended as a realistic look at the George Sand circle. It's a very playful, tongue in cheek, even spoofy comedy that takes outrageous, anachronistic liberties with its famous characters just to have some fun with a contemporary audience.
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 moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/3/2005 at 11:00:22 AM ET
Of course Marie d'Agoult didn't really become a political commentator and historian until after the time period of this film. But I do agree they offer a very troubling portrayal of her as a person when compared to the real story. Lizst comes off as pretty much of a saint and she is the nagging bitch of a lover. Marie gave up a great deal by leaving her husband for Lizst. She believed so much in his talent that she gave up her good name, almost all access to her one living daughter with her husband (another one had died before she met Lizst) and every bit of support she had in life to be his muse. She was a fallen woman and could never return to her former life. He toured a great deal (without her), pretty much banging every female that came near him. He was the equivalent of a modern day rock star and always had women throwing themselves at his feet. Can you blame Marie for being a little upset for being left behind in Paris while your lover was cheating on you. And after their relationship was over Lizst used the children as pawns to hurt Marie. He was never much interested in being a father but Marie loved her children very much and always wanted to be with them, despite what the movie portrays. However, Marie had no legal rights to her children. According to French law at the time because she was still married to the Count, if she had been named as the mother on the childrens' birth certificates the children would have legally belonged to her husband not Lizst. So on the two daughters' certificates they made up a woman's name for the mother and on Daniel's (their son) certificate they listed mother as "unknown", my personal favorite.  Therefore Lizst had complete control over the children and sent them to boarding schools and would not allow Marie to see them very much. In fact, poor Daniel, the inspiration for his mother's pen name, Daniel Stern, who was born really after his parents' relationship had ended was never really a part of any type of family and rarely saw either of his parents until he was in his late teens. Sadly he died shortly thereafter.
Marie was able to forge some relationships with her children when they reached adulthood and she could gain access to them but they had heard so many terrible things about their mother through their father that it was always a somewhat strained relationship. Sadly one her daughters with Lizst, died shortly after having a baby so Marie oulived 3 of her 5 children.
There is a really wonderful bio of Marie that I recommend for anyone wanting a better look at this fascinating women who is considered to be the author of the most historically accurate record of the French Revolution. My mother has borrowed the book so I can't remember the actual title but it is listed as a bio of Daniel Stern, not Marie d'Agoult.
Sorry for the rambling history lesson but I always kind of feel sorry that her portrayal in Impromptu is so unflattering and always feel the need to defend her. Clearly they needed someone to play the mean role and who better than Bernadette. Impromptu is great fun but certainly not historically accurate.
Edit: Here is a link to the book
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801863139/103-1009319-8275859?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=books&v=glance
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moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/3/2005 at 11:48:07 AM ET
Jenn, I totally understand. If this character was completely fictitious, perhaps we wouldn't have such a hard time with it. The character as written adds dramatics to the story and I guess that's what makes it a fun movie to watch but knowing that such a fascinating woman of history is reduced to a caricature to provide humor and tension among characters seems almost cruel.
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 3/3/2005 at 11:50:01 AM ET
I don't mind liberties. But a little more dimension to the character would have been nice-it would have been different from the usual conniving and selfish stereotype. However,Marie is not the main character and the movie is rather short,from what I remember. But some sign of intellect that hinted at her future career would have been interesting.
Jenn
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 3/3/2005 at 11:52:07 AM ET
quote:
but knowing that such a fascinating woman of history is reduced to a caricature to provide humor and tension among characters seems almost cruel.
Moljul was responding to a post that I deleted. It was longer than the post that's there now,but it was along the same lines. I also ranted a bit about stereotypes of women in movies,for good measure. I'm posting this because I didn't want posters here to question her sanity.
Re:above quote. What she said.
Jenn
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moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 3/3/2005 at 12:03:20 PM ET
Thanks Jenn for defending my sanity which I often question even without mysterious posts that don't seem to be responding to anything in particular.
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 leebee
Registered User
Registered:
1/19/2004
Fav. BP Song: Being Alive
Fav. BP Show: Sunday In The Park With George
| posted: 3/3/2005 at 1:13:29 PM ET
Thank you for the heads up about the book - I am very interested.
I enjoyed the movie, but I was a bit disappointed too for many of the same reasons mentioned above. The character had so much more potential, but was sort of compressed in some ways. Still a very enjoyable flick tho.
You can't beat Pennies From Heaven for Bernadette movie moments.
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Sister Rose
Registered User
Registered:
5/4/2004
From:
NYC | posted: 3/3/2005 at 2:57:12 PM ET
Regarding my cringing at Bernadette movies - it's not her performance - its just the material of the made-for-tv movies (I guess not all of them, just many - I really like Annie, Silent Movie and The Jerk and even the Last Best Year to a certain extent).
"Anyone who stays home is DEAD!"
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Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 3/3/2005 at 6:51:21 PM ET
Jenn, thanks so much for all the info and for the link to the book. There's obviously a lot more to the character than I ever realized. Now that you mention it, your reaction to "Impromptu" reminds me a little of how I felt somewhat betrayed by Alan Rudolph's and Jon Bradshaw's treatment of the historical characters in the film "The Moderns."
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