Irrestisible charm and talent help Serge Alexandre alias Stavisky, small-time swindler, to make friends with even the most influential members of the French industrial and political elite during the early ’30s. But nothing lasts forever and when his great scam involving hundreds millions of francs gets exposed, the result is an unprecedented scandal that almost caused a civil war.
Director: Alain Resnais.
Writer: Jorge Semprún.
Stars: Jean-Paul Belmondo, François Périer, Anny Duperey, Michael Lonsdale, Roberto Bisacco, Claude Rich, Charles Boyer, Pierre Vernier, Marcel Cuvelier, Van Doude, Jacques Spiesser, Michel Beaune, Maurice Jacquemont, Silvia Badescu, Jacques Eyser, Fernand Guiot, Daniel Lecourtois, Gérard Depardieu, Nike Arrighi, Samson Fainsilber.
Cinematographer: Sacha Vierny.
Composer: Stephen Sondheim.
1974 Cannes Film Festival – Nominated for the Palme d’Or.
A terrific film!
The death of the 1920s . . .
Nothing in Resnais’ oeuvre would indicate he’d come up with something so traditional.
And yet while going against his own grain he came up with a profoundly satisfying film!
The incredible haunting score by Sondheim who allegedly knew next to nothing concerning the film and its subject essentially wrote period music-by-the yard per Resnais’ request. Somehow, magically it all comes together in one of the truly great marriages of music score with a film.
A true masterpiece rarely remembered and the final screen appearance of the great Charles Boyer.
You just might want to mention that this is the only film with a score by Stephen Sondheim.
Done! I only started adding composer & cinematographer credits a few years ago so all the old uploads don’t have that (yet), but will be added eventually.
So nice to read your name here, Bob! It’s been a while, hope you’re well 🙂