Co-production
Antenne 2 - SFP
Director Marion
Sarraut
Adaption by
Juliette Benzoni
& Jean Chatenet
Music by Robert
Viger
In 1986 March 19, the French television
audience saw the premiere of the most
anticipated tv-serie, that of the
beloved "Catherine". The saga of a
courageous and beautiful young woman in
medieval times - during the end of the
hundred year wars between France and
England - where Burgundy was reigned by
the enigmatic personality "Duke Philippe
of Burgundy - a prince of France.
Directed by the ingenious director
Marion Sarraut (decorated with the
Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur and
Chevalier des Arts des letters).
After the bestseller "Il suffit d'un
amour" (One love is enough) by the
historical author
Juliette
Benzoni,
winner of the Alexandre Dumas prix
and Chevalier de l'ordre national du
Mérite.
had already successfully directed a year
before, another of Juliette Benzoni's
book serie that of "Marianne".
On board was the author
Juliette Benzoni
herself and it was said that the two
women had an understanding between
themselves, like mother and daughter.
The filming went two years of
preparation ahead. Under the competent
direction of Marion Sarraut - fifteen
months of shooting - two hundred actors
- over fifteen hundred costumes - were
used for this exceptionally exciting
production. Though the shooting was long
- there was a very open, relaxed and
familiar atmosphere. As we can read
in the interviews, given to us by
Gérard Chambre
(Jean de Xaintrailles),
Pierre DENY
(Count of Dunoit) and
Pierre-Marie
Escourrou (Arnaud de Montsalvy)
exclusively sent to our Catherine de
Montsalvy fansite.
Many actors, some of them also known to
an international public - had signed to
join the cast. Beautiful
Nicole Maurey
as Arnaud's mother Isabelle de
Montsalvy, had been in moviers with
film legendaries like Bing Crosby,
Charlton Heston, Alec Quiness and
many other. Philippe Clay, a most
beloved French actor, who had played
with stars like Jean Gabin,
brought to life Barnaby the beggar.
The lovely
Pascale Petit
also known to a wide audience - was our
heroine's best friend Sara. The
acclaimed stage actress, amazing
Geneviéve Casile
as Queen Yolande d'Anjou. Dashing Jean-François
Poron,
who had already played in "Marianne"
was the formidable Duke Philippe of
Burgundy - he who had long experience in
playing historical characters - e.g.
Philippe, Louis XIV twin brother in The
Iron Mask - which starred also the great
Jean Marais
as the most beloved D'Artagnan.
Outstanding in his role as the
villain Gilles de Rais -
Benôit Brionne
- who had already performed extremely
well in Marion Sarraut's Marianne
as
Napoleon Bonaparte.
So what could go
wrong with a
production like
that? Nothing
whatsoever!
Though the sixty
- twenty-five
minutes long
episode's, could
not be seen in
the prime time
on
However, the
serie was
nonetheless a huge
success! The
readers of the
Catherine books,
and the
occasional
television
spectators - were
more than
satisfied by the
outcome of their
beloved story of
Catherine and
Arnaud. To their
great pleasure, the
producers had
adapted the
seven books more
or less
faithfully. Not
like it had
happened in 1968
when Bernard
Broderie had
brought to film
audience the
movie adaption
of "Catherine Il
suffit d'un
amour" for the
first time. Some
minor changes
had to made all
the same, due to
the small budget
they had to
their disposal.
A fact which cannot be
entirely
avoided - as we all
know from other
famous film
adaptions.
Claudine
Ancelot, in
her first
television
appearance, was
the perfect
Catherine.
At her side,
handsome
Pierre-Marie
Escourrou
as the only
man she ever
loved
Arnaud de
Montsalvy.
With their
splendid and
outstanding
performance, the
"loveliest
Lady of the West
and her proud
and valiant
Knight were
brought to life.
Without doubt,
we can compare
their portrayal
on the same
level as; Vivien
Leigh as
Scarlett O'Hara
and Clark Gable
as
Rhett
Butler in
Gone with the
Wind
For over two
decades the
legendary story
of Catherine
had vanished
from television.
To all our
delight, the
French company
France
Loisirs
launched the
long awaited
"Catherine Il
suffit d'un
amour "
tv-serie on DVD
December 2007.
They exist of
five boxes -
each box
contains two
disks. However,
great the joy
may be - there
is a small fly
in the ointment!
We cannot find
any special's -
like interviews
with Juliette
Benzoni, Marion
Sarraut or
any of the
adored stars. In
addition and
that is maybe
especially for
non speaking
French fans a
huge
disappointment -
NO
subtitles!
Either in French
or English. We
do not want to
criticise
France Loisirs
in any way, too
grateful we are
to them, having
so much
consideration
for the admitted
admirer's of
|
Catherine Il suffit d'un amour.
Merci
beaucoup
France Loisirs
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