On 20 June 1791 the king and queen of France (Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette) tried to escape from Revolutionary Paris to join monarchist allies outside France, but were arrested in the town of Varennes. The incident inflamed popular distrust and hatred against the monarchy. Linked to this historical event the film imagines a group of travellers on the same road, including the American patriot Thomas Paine, the noted seducer Casanova, the French novelist Restif de La Bretonne, and one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting. They reflect various attitudes toward the momentous changes taking place around them.

viewer's comments:

-An unknown but brilliant film

Few people have probably heard of this French film. Yet, it is a masterpiece. Some great actors brought this story of classical art cinema alive. The historical moment depicted is the period just after the French Revolution. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are making a final attempt to escape - they flee from Paris. Historical characters (Casanova, Restif de la Bretonne) and imagined characters are all joined by a trip in a stagecoach. This is an opportunity for us to discover different mentalities of the 18th century. Each character sees the French Revolution differently, but the viewer can sense its uselessness, the suffering it brought by tearing a whole world apart.

- A movie of rare intelligence

This is the only movie I've seen that rises to the intellectual level of literature. Very smart, very elegant, wise and perceptive. The acting is uniformly masterful, the directing sensitive, the cinematography tasteful. Rarely is one moved by a film in a thoughtful way, but at no time does this film pander to the audience or resort to tedious cliches. It even offers fresh insights. Film is the least important art form, but this is among the few movies that transcend the medium. It is a masterpiece: one cliche that actually applies in this case.


cast:
Jean-Louis Barrault ... Nicolas Edmé Restif de la Bretonne
Marcello Mastroianni Marcello Mastroianni ... Casanova, Chevalier de Seingalt
Hanna Schygulla Hanna Schygulla ... Countess Sophie de la Borde
Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ... Thomas Paine
Jean-Claude Brialy Jean-Claude Brialy ... Monsieur Jacob
Andréa Ferréol Andréa Ferréol ... Madame Adélaïde Gagnon
Michel Vitold Michel Vitold ... De Florange
Laura Betti Laura Betti ... Virginia Capacelli
Enzo Jannacci Enzo Jannacci ... Italian clown
Pierre Malet Pierre Malet ... Emile Delage, student revolutionary
Daniel Gélin Daniel Gélin ... De Wendel
Hugues Quester Hugues Quester ... Jean-Louis Romeuf
Dora Doll Dora Doll ... Nanette Precy
Caterina Boratto Caterina Boratto ... Madame Faustine
Didi Perego Didi Perego ... Madame Sauce

Country:France | Italy - with English subtitles
Language:French | Italian
Release Date:16 February 1983 (USA)
Also Known As:Il mondo nuovo
Filming Locations:Senlis, Oise, France
Runtime:
Sound Mix:Mono
Color:Color (Eastmancolor)