SIFF: The Price of Fame (La rançon de la gloire)
In this Swiss/Belgian/French film inspired by a true story, Eddy, a lovable if clueless small time crook convinces his friend, Osman, a man in dire straights, to steal the corpse of recently-deceased Charlie Chaplin for ransom. Between the planning and the execution of the heist, we follow Eddy as he takes care of Osman's daughter Samira while Osman tries to earn enough money to pay for an operation for his wife.
If it weren't based on actual events, the story would be too wild to be believed. But a couple of crooks did, in fact, steal Chaplin's coffin in an attempt to extort money from the Chaplin family. The film takes that story, adds a lush Michel Legrand score, and a genuine sweetness to the characters, and then departs from actual history in plot developments and portrayals that are practically tributes to the Little Tramp himself. There were moments when the director let a scene stretch a bit too long, and times when that delicious Legrand score didn't seem quite the right thing against the events that it accompanied. But the performances--every one--were appealing and the film ultimately satisfying if perhaps a little too good to be true in the end.
Other quick SIFF notes: I was scheduled to see the documentary "Handmade with Love in France" last weekend. Sadly, I went to the wrong theater on the bus and wasn't able to get to the correct theater in time to see it. I'm still pouting about this; I really wanted to see that doc. Tonight, watching the trailers for upcoming films, I caught one for Henri Henri. After "The Price of Fame" let out, I traded a voucher for a ticket to this new movie and added it to next week's schedule.
If it weren't based on actual events, the story would be too wild to be believed. But a couple of crooks did, in fact, steal Chaplin's coffin in an attempt to extort money from the Chaplin family. The film takes that story, adds a lush Michel Legrand score, and a genuine sweetness to the characters, and then departs from actual history in plot developments and portrayals that are practically tributes to the Little Tramp himself. There were moments when the director let a scene stretch a bit too long, and times when that delicious Legrand score didn't seem quite the right thing against the events that it accompanied. But the performances--every one--were appealing and the film ultimately satisfying if perhaps a little too good to be true in the end.
Other quick SIFF notes: I was scheduled to see the documentary "Handmade with Love in France" last weekend. Sadly, I went to the wrong theater on the bus and wasn't able to get to the correct theater in time to see it. I'm still pouting about this; I really wanted to see that doc. Tonight, watching the trailers for upcoming films, I caught one for Henri Henri. After "The Price of Fame" let out, I traded a voucher for a ticket to this new movie and added it to next week's schedule.