One review on 16 Mar 2023

France 1995

Running time: 111 mins

La Cérémonie

Director : Claude Chabrol 

Setting: France
Original language: French
Summary: Maid with a secret or two gets job with rich family in isolated house in Brittany. Is befriended by postwoman who persuades her she is exploited. Class war ensues.

Cast:

  • Isabelle Huppert  Jeanne (the postie)
  • Sandrine Bonnaire  Sophie (the Maid)
  • Jacqueline Bisset  Catherine (the wife)
  • Jean-Pierre Cassel  Georges (the husband)
  • Virginie Ledoyen  Melinda (the daughter)

Crew:

Colour: Colour

Film Category
The 1990s
Tags
First Seen: Thu 16th Mar 2023
Catalogued: 18th Mar 2023

Synopsis

From the initial meeting between Sophine (Bonnaire) and Catherine (Bisset) we are aware there is something strange about Sophie, but we get drawn into her story. The family she goes to work for are wealthy with a sense of entitlement and arrogance, but Sophie is a loner.

The postwoman, Jeanne (Huppert), forces herself on Sophie as a friend. There is something a bit odd about her too, and we soon discover their similar secret pasts. We also learn of Sophie's more personal shame which explains some of her behaviour.

Thus the stage is set for a final showdown with a satisfying ambiguous ending.

Reviews

by rogerco on Thu 16th Mar 2023 Streamed proj @ home (Subtitled)

Classic French post new-wave Film

Full review

The cast is excellent. Good acting by good actors creating believable characters. The story is solid - although not totally convincing in the motivation for the dennoument. The film is well made - direction, camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene all faultless.

Doesn't really work as either a thriller - not a lot of suspense - or a psycho-drama. But entertaining as a mystery as the secrets are teased and then revealled. 

Film list

  • You are here:  
  • Home
  • Film Characters