Jacquou le Croquant (2007) 140 mins

Laurent Boutonnat’s swash-buckling adventure takes place in early 19th century France and depicts the explosive tensions between peasants and royals. Jacquou (Gaspard Ulliel), a peasant boy living in rural, south-west France, comes across testing times as his father is wrongly imprisoned and killed by the Count of Nansac (Jocelyn Quivrin). His mother (Marie-Josée Croze) likewise succumbs out of grief, leaving the young Jacquou an orphan and reduced to begging for survival. He is prevented from committing suicide by a priest (Olivier Gourmet) and a knight (Tchéky Karo), a worldly-wise pair who raise him as an altar boy. His relationship with the charming Lina (Judith Davis) injects Jacquou with a new lease on life. However, he cannot forget the promise he made to his mother to avenge his father’s death. Now an adult, Jacquou must seize the chance to face the Count. Boutonnat’s extravagant period piece, based on the novel by 19th century writer Eugène Le Roy, spares no expense in recreating the epoch when its action unfolds. Shot in France and Romania, the film benefits from some wonderful cinematography of the wild landscape. The action scenes are directed with bravura, within an efficient narrative that provides the viewer with a classic heroic tale of old. Gaspard Ulliel proves himself a worthy leading man, surrounded by a strong supporting cast, including the ever-reliable Marie-Josée Croze (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) and Olivier Gourmet (The Son, Burnt Out). Primarily a musician, Boutonnat wrote a score to match the film’s powerful visuals, including the theme tune sung by Mylène Farmer; the international star with whom he has collaborated on all albums and music videos. These have always been noted for their cinematic quality in terms of ambition, scope and format. Fortunately, Boutonnat decided to go one step further with the tale of Jacquou le croquant and direct this full length feature, which was released to great success in France, and now can be exclusively seen in the UK on Cinémoi.