The Proprietor Movie Review 1996

Thinly disguised as a returning-to-your-roots and facing-your-ghosts drama, film is actually a celluloid shrine to its Gallic star, the legendary Moreau, who plays a legendary Gallic novelist, Adrienne Mark. Mark, after residing in New York for 30 years, reclaims her Jewish identity and returns to Paris to buy the home in which she grew up with her mother, who was killed in WWII. Famous for writing the novel "Call Me French," which became a highly acclaimed French film and a current American remake, Mark's primary struggle to come to grips with her mother's death is overshadowed by a bevy of subplots that compete with one another. Young as a sassy and somewhat stereotypical Hollywood producer; Carter as Milly the loyal housekeeper; Waterston, an antique dealer; and Billy, NYC video artist and adoring Mark fan, all add to the confusion. Moreau tries her best to give life to the saintly lead figure, but the coma-inducing sugar level of her character's goodness is overwhelming. Director Merchant's sophomore effort, though well-acted, is a good idea, poorly told.

Distribution

Warner Home Video, Inc., 5775 Linder Canyon Rd., Westlake Village, CA 91362, URL: http://whv.warnerbros.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 105 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

France, Judaism, Writers, At the Movies, Saints

Screenplay

Jean-Marie Besset, George Trow

Cast

Jeanne Moreau, Sean Young, Sam Waterston, Nell Carter, Austin Pendleton, Pierre Vaneck, Christopher Cazenove, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Josh Hamilton, Marc Tissot

Cinematography

Larry Pizer

Director

Ismail Merchant

Music

Richard Robbins

Producer

Donald Rosenfeld, Paul Bradley, Merchant-Ivory Productions, Largo Ent., Warner Bros.