MONSIEUR CHOCOLAT
***
nDirector: Roschdy Zem
Principal Cast:
Omar Sy
James Thiérrée
Clotilde Hesme
Alice de Lencquesaing
Frédéric Pierrot
Noémie Lvovsky
Screenwriters: Cyril Gely, Olivier Gorce, Gérard Noiriel and Roschdy Zem
Country: France
Classification: M
Runtime: 119 mins
Australian release date: 29 June 2017
Previewed at: Sony Pictures Theatrette, Sydney, on 12 May 2017.
Monsieur Chocolat is set in France during the Belle Époque, the period of high artistic and cultural development that occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Based on a true story, actor/director Roschdy Zem’s film tells the tale of a unique clown act known as ‘Chocolat and Footit’ that evolved within a touring circus troupe travelling the backroads of northern France. Rafael Padilla aka ‘Chocolat’ (Omar Sy) was an Afro-Cuban slave who was performing as ‘Kalanka the Cannibal’ when he was approached by an English clown, George Footit (James Thiérrée), to team up as a double act and the pair went on to become the most popular act in the show.
They were subsequently poached by the Spanish impresario Joseph Oller (Olivier Gourmet), co-founder of the Moulin Rouge and originator of the Paris Olympia, who launched their careers at his up-market Parisian establishment, Nouveau Cirque. ‘Chocolat and Footit’ became the toast of Paris but as their careers blossomed, problems started to sprout as well. ‘Chocolat’ became more and more disenchanted with being Footit’s sidekick. He started to drink and gamble, reacting against the racist stereotyping he’d been subjected to for years. He also sought solace in the flesh and his love-life was, shall we say, vigorous until he became enchanted by the widow Marie Hecquet (Clotilde Hesme), who looked after him as his health failed and who ended up nursing him until he died.
Both Thiérrée and Sy are thrilling and the duo delivers an organically symbiotic performance. Thiérrée brings his comic skills to the fore (it must be in his blood, he’s Charlie Chaplin’s grandson) while natural comedian Sy provides his character with an aura that’s compulsively attractive. The consistent, and prolific, composer Gabriel Yared delivers yet another fine score, suitably attuned to the colourful and eye-catching production design. The script has tweaked the real story to a significant degree but it captures the two men’s relationship well and hints that Footit may have had more than a professional interest in his partner. It also seems to speed up the action; in fact the pair worked successfully together for some two decades. Still, these are relatively minor issues that don’t impact too negatively on the entertainment value of Monsieur Chocolat.
Principal Cast:
Omar Sy
James Thiérrée
Clotilde Hesme
Alice de Lencquesaing
Frédéric Pierrot
Noémie Lvovsky
Screenwriters: Cyril Gely, Olivier Gorce, Gérard Noiriel and Roschdy Zem
Country: France
Classification: M
Runtime: 119 mins
Australian release date: 29 June 2017
Previewed at: Sony Pictures Theatrette, Sydney, on 12 May 2017.
Monsieur Chocolat is set in France during the Belle Époque, the period of high artistic and cultural development that occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Based on a true story, actor/director Roschdy Zem’s film tells the tale of a unique clown act known as ‘Chocolat and Footit’ that evolved within a touring circus troupe travelling the backroads of northern France. Rafael Padilla aka ‘Chocolat’ (Omar Sy) was an Afro-Cuban slave who was performing as ‘Kalanka the Cannibal’ when he was approached by an English clown, George Footit (James Thiérrée), to team up as a double act and the pair went on to become the most popular act in the show.
They were subsequently poached by the Spanish impresario Joseph Oller (Olivier Gourmet), co-founder of the Moulin Rouge and originator of the Paris Olympia, who launched their careers at his up-market Parisian establishment, Nouveau Cirque. ‘Chocolat and Footit’ became the toast of Paris but as their careers blossomed, problems started to sprout as well. ‘Chocolat’ became more and more disenchanted with being Footit’s sidekick. He started to drink and gamble, reacting against the racist stereotyping he’d been subjected to for years. He also sought solace in the flesh and his love-life was, shall we say, vigorous until he became enchanted by the widow Marie Hecquet (Clotilde Hesme), who looked after him as his health failed and who ended up nursing him until he died.
Both Thiérrée and Sy are thrilling and the duo delivers an organically symbiotic performance. Thiérrée brings his comic skills to the fore (it must be in his blood, he’s Charlie Chaplin’s grandson) while natural comedian Sy provides his character with an aura that’s compulsively attractive. The consistent, and prolific, composer Gabriel Yared delivers yet another fine score, suitably attuned to the colourful and eye-catching production design. The script has tweaked the real story to a significant degree but it captures the two men’s relationship well and hints that Footit may have had more than a professional interest in his partner. It also seems to speed up the action; in fact the pair worked successfully together for some two decades. Still, these are relatively minor issues that don’t impact too negatively on the entertainment value of Monsieur Chocolat.