This feature is now available everywhere on Blu-ray from Music Box Films.
Anyone who enjoys international cinema will know that France is a nation that loves cinema. Each year, they produce hundreds of titles and many are quite remarkable. But of course, in this part of the world they don’t just land in your local theater. Instead, you have to seek them out. One or two might get a high-profile release (often the movie selected to be the country’s Academy Award submission gets all the press), but several incredible features don’t get the push they deserve.
Last year, Lost Illusions was one of those films. While the admirably strange Titane was picked to represent the country at the Oscars (the movie didn’t end up earning a nomination from the Academy), titles like this one and the drama Happening ended up falling by the wayside. It’s too bad, because Lost Illusions is an exceptional period drama in many respects. Thankfully, Music Box Films has picked the title’s rights up. They released it at cinemas earlier in 2022 and it is now arriving on Blu-ray in North America. Now, it can be discovered by world cinema enthusiasts in this part of the world.
Based on the classic book by Honoré de Balzac, this tale follows a talented, 20-year-old aspiring poet from a modest background named Lucien de Rubempre (Benjamin Voisin). The idealistic small-town youngster decides that the literary world is his for the taking and impresses local society woman Marie-Louise-Anaïs de Bargeton (Cécile de France) with his prose. The two become involved and the writer manages to obtain financial support from her while searching for a publisher in Paris. However, he finds everything far more difficult than anticipated.
For one, his relationship with his older benefactor is severed to avoid scandal and he is banned from high-class social parties due to his lower-class standing. After meeting with famed publisher Dauriat (Gérard Depardieu), Lucien learns that no one will print the writing of a complete unknown. Desperate, he befriends young newspaper man Étienne Lousteau (Vincent Lacoste) and is forced to make ends meet by writing theater and literature reviews. The lead discovers that many of the articles written are fakes and that bribes are the big influencer in a positive or negative write-up. Lucien swallows his pride to survive and while his cleverly scathing reviews draw an audience, things get increasingly complicated as he attempts to rise above his social standings. The lead soon makes enemies in all walks of life and learns that there is a price to be paid for his scathing articles. Even attempts to buy a noble title end up leaving Lucien on the brink of disaster.
In spite of being based on a book from the 1830s, the story still has plenty of relevance in today’s world. It does take a little bit of time for events to get rolling. Still, once the protagonist arrives in Paris and is forced to survive on his own, the pace hits high gear and never lets up. In fact, it’s continuously fascinating to learn about this era and the effect that new media outlets (in this case, newspapers) had on journalism.
The story details how many different outlets appeared at once, all vying against each other for readership and printing increasingly outrageous and inaccurate pieces to earn readership. Scenes in which Lousteau shows Lucien the ropes are dynamic and informative. Even in passing, it’s fascinating to hear stories (that may actually be based on fact) about struggling theaters being forced to pay newspapers immense sums of money to get positive stories and publicity printed about them. So much so, that it resulted in auditoriums introducing the sale of snacks to attendees as a way to pay for their added and unexpected new expenses.
It’s all presented as an unprincipled and bloodthirsty world. As such, it’s compelling to see a well-intentioned but brash young figure rise to prominence before being corrupted and having those around attempt to stab him in the back. The end result is a darkly humorous story that gets grimmer and grimmer as it progresses and makes an even deeper impact as events spiral out of control. This tale feels authentic and believable. It will not only resonate with anyone who knows the fields being portrayed, but anyone who has felt the sting of classism and capitalism. The movie effectively paints a picture of a cutthroat environment where fame and success can vanish in an instant and only be sustained by those who come from a background of endless wealth.
The sets, costumes and photography are all top notch. There are some striking shots in the movie, particularly when Lucien is indulging himself in vices. At one point, he literally floats above a table that is covered in cash and other glittery excesses. In addition to the cinematography, the cast are all fantastic. Many of the characters are nasty and conniving, but they are all charismatic to watch even when they are turning on one another (often delivering verbal jabs as they do so). And while the desperate Lucien falls prey to his vulnerabilities, he is likable enough that viewers feel empathy for him when his situation spirals downward.
The Blu-ray itself from Music Box is also a winner, delivering a sharp transfer of the widescreen feature that allows all of the production design to shine and stand out. Additionally, there are a couple of notable extras. There is a featurette with the main cast who discuss their interpretation of their characters. They also talk about the fact that the original book is a favorite of the director. This meant he knew exactly what he wanted from them, leaving them feeling confident about his approach to the story. There is another segment that explains how specific areas in Paris were redressed to match the period setting and the work that went into the costumes and appearance of the movie. The disc also includes a theatrical trailer.
In the end, Lost Illusions is an excellent adaptation that deserves a great deal of praise. While the source material is aged, the movie is vibrant and exciting, maintaining all of the important themes and messages of the original work. It is remarkable that a production that earned such praise (even winning the film equivalent of an Academy Award for Best Picture) isn’t better known on this side of the world. If you’re looking for some great cinema from France, be sure to pick this Blu-ray up.