Madame Bovary (1991)

Madame Bovary is a French romantic film drama first released in 1991, directed by Claude Chabrol.  The film is based on a novel by Gustave Flaubert and stars Isabelle Huppert, Jean-François Balmer, Christophe Malavoy, Jean Yanne and Lucas Belvaux.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


In 19th century France, the daughter of a country squire, Emma, marries a country doctor, Charles Bovary.  All to soon, Emma grows bored with her husband and looks elsewhere for romance – first with a landowner, Rodolphe Boulanger, then with a law student, Léon Dupuis.  Her extravagant tastes lead Emma to run up a huge debt.  Determined to keep her folly from her husband, who still dotes on her, Madame Bovary turns to her former lovers for help...

At two and a half hours in length, this film is a detailed and faithful adaptation of Flaubert’s masterpiece of the same title.  It captures the intimacy of that great work as well as enacting the grand set pieces, such as the country ball.  However, for all that, this film has a very cold, clinical feel to it throughout, and the profound sense of tragedy in Flaubert’s story isn’t really achieved.  Consequently, the film feels slow and heavy, and the ending shocks because it is filmed so graphically, not because a young woman is driven to desperation.  This is a film that clearly underscores the strengths and weaknesses of its director, Claude Chabrol, better known for his thrillers.

On a more positive note, Isabelle Huppert assumes the mantle of the great literary character of Madame Bovary with her customary skill and attention to detail.  For an actress better known for playing strong female characters, it is interesting to see her take on such a demanding role, that of a character who is marked by a tragic vulnerability, and tormented by an uncontrollable caprice.  She copes admirably and this is undoubtedly one of her most convincing film performances.

© James Travers 2001

Write a review for this film...


What do you think of this film?

More French Drama
More French Romance
Recent DVD releases