Too Beautiful for You [Trop Belle Pour Toi!] *** (1989, Gérard Depardieu, Josiane Balasko, Carole Bouquet) – Classic Movie Review 9216

Gérard Depardieu stars in the 1989 French romantic comedy drama film Too Beautiful for You [Trop Belle Pour Toi!] as Bernard Barthélémy, a car dealer with a comfy life, a lovely wife, Florence (Carole Bouquet), and a happy family. But he unexpectedly finds himself fancying his homely secretary, Colette Chevassu (Josiane Balasko), and a torrid romance starts.

Writer-director Bertrand Blier’s film fudges a fine premise by uneven and sometimes hesitant handling, though there are several pleasing revelations, among them that the delightful Balasko clearly walks off with the acting honours, even if she was beaten by Bouquet as Best Actress (Meilleure actrice) at the César Awards.

Winner of the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989, tied with Cinema Paradiso (1988). It also won five César Awards, France 1990: Best Film (Meilleur film) for Bertrand Blier; Best Actress (Meilleure actrice) for Carole Bouquet; Best Director (Meilleur réalisateur) for Bertrand Blier; Best Screenplay, Original or Adaptation (Meilleur scénario, original ou adaptation) for Bertrand Blier; and Best Editing (Meilleur montage) for Claudine Merlin.

Also in the cast are Roland Blanche, François Cluzet, Myriam Boyer, Denise Chalem, Didier Bénureau, Philippe Loffredo and  Stéphane Auberghen.

Also notable are Philippe Rousselot’s cinematography and Théobald Meurisse’s production design.

Too Beautiful for You [Trop Belle Pour Toi!] is directed by Bertrand Blier, 91 minutes, is made by Ciné Valse, D D Productions, Orly Films, SEDIF and TF1 Films Productions,is released by AMLF (1989) (France) and Orion Classics (1990) (US), is written by Bertrand Blier, is shot in Eastmancolor by Philippe Rousselot, is produced by Bernard Marescot, has music by Franz Schubert and is designed by Théobald Meurisse.

Bertrand Blier was born on 14 March 1939.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9216

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