Le Souper (1992) - film review

France, 1815.  With Napoleon in exile after his defeat at Waterloo, the Royalists seize the moment and take control of Paris, intending to restore the monarchy.  In the evening of July 6th, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, an eminent politician after the Revolution, secretly invites Joseph Fouché, head of the French police, to dine with him.  Despite their mutual dislike for one another and their opposing political views, the two men agree on a course of action that will save their country from civil war…

This heavy historical drama is based on a stage play and is filmed as such, making it something of an ordeal to watch for anyone who is not familiar with or obsessively interested in the period of history it is relating.  The film was directed by Edouard Molinaro, who is best known for his outlandish comedies, notably La Cage aux folles (1978).  The static nature of the film would render it virtually unwatchable were it not for the exceptional contributions from its two lead actors, Claude Brasseur and Claude Rich – the latter of whom won the Best Actor César in 1993 for his role in this film.

© James Travers 2004

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