Moliere

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, later known as Molière, was a failed playwright and actor. Imprisoned for debts, he was then released and vanished from the historical landscape for several months.

The film - by Laurent Tirard - speculates  that Molière ( Romain Duris)  was released by the wealthy Monsieur Jourdain  ( Fabrice Luchini ) on one condition:  that he teaches the old bourgeois how to act in order to find his way into the young and beautiful Célimène’s ( Ludovine Sagnier ) heart.

Molière ,disguised as private tutor Tartuffe, does his best as an acting teacher; but the situation gets tricky when he  falls helplessly in love with Jourdain’s wife.

The sentimental turmoil he witnesses and feels opens his eyes to society and  himself.
He eventually tours the French provinces with his Theatre Troupe and finally achieves success with a brand new genre: comic satire.

Formally elegant, well acted and enjoyable enough this film wears its qualities on its sleeve. But if you are looking for a more substantial entertainment, Molière is likely to come out as a bit shallow and boring.

Not that the multiple love intrigues are badly developed by the script, which in fact is quite witty and lively.

But at the end of the day, there is not much more to grasp. Madame Jourdain (Laura Morante) is the most memorable character and hers are the meatiest lines.
She repeatedly encourages the playwright to find his own voice and to practically invent a new literary and theatrical genre.
This, if any, is the most relevant message of the film.

As for Monsieur Jourdain and his obscure object of desire, it’s annoying that the film makes Célimène’s rejection of her old sleazy suitor frivolous and cruel, whereas Jourdain’s desire for fresh meat is perfectly legitimate.
Not quite a lesson we need to be taught.

Rating

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