Le Libertin (2000) - film review

In 18th century France, the great philosopher and libertine Denis Diderot toils on his Encyclopaedia in a country house belonging to Baron Holbach.  Diderot’s radical ideas have made him the enemy of the establishment – particularly the Church – who will stop at nothing to destroy the man and his lifelong work to enlighten mankind.  Whilst struggling for a definition of the word “morality”, the philosopher allows an attractive woman artist, Madame Therbouche, to paint his portrait – in the nude.  Meanwhile, the Holbachs receive an unwelcome visit from their cousin, a fire-breathing cardinal who is quite unprepared for the spectacle of debauchery and licentiousness he is about to witness…

Le Libertin is a daring attempt to combine the lavish historical drama (for which French cinema is particularly renowned) with bawdy farce – a film which would almost certainly have ended up with the title “Carry On Diderot” if it had been made in England.  Whilst the film is, overall, entertaining and includes some hilarious set pieces (the ‘pig organ’ being perhaps the best and sickest example), not all of the jokes work and there is a sense that too much is being crammed into too small a space – rather like Baroness Holbach’s endless, anachronistic binging on chocolate, caviar and popcorn.

The film was directed by Gabriel Aghion, who won both fame and notoriety with Pédale douce, a comedy which, as in his subsequent films, made light of matters sexual.   For Le Libertin, Aghion’s most extravagant film to date, the director was inspired by a stage play by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, who agreed to adapt his play for the film.   With big names such as Vincent Pérez, Fanny Ardant and Josiane Balasko heading a star-studded cast, the film should have been a run-away success.  Unfortunately – despite some great comic performances (Balasko is deliriously funny in her role), the film did not impress the critics greatly and it failed to be the huge commercial success its producers were probably expecting.

© James Travers 2004

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