Ridicule is a 1996 French film set in the 18th century at the decadent court of Versailles. Its title refers to one's ability to ridicule others, a useful talent in a court where the social status of nobles could rise and fall based on success or humiliation in response to ridicule and retort. The story critiques the social injustices of late 18th century France, showing the corruption of religion and the callousness of the aristocrats at Versailles who use biting wit and ridicule to further their own ambitions. Patrice Leconte (born November 12, 1947, in Paris, France) is a French film director and screenwriter. ... Charles Berling is an actor, realizer, scenario writer and French producer born on April 30, 1958 in Saint-Mandé in Val de Marne (France). ... Jean Rochefort (born 29 April 1930) is a French actor who has appeared in more than 100 movies. ... Fanny Ardant in 8 femmes. ... Judith Godrèche (born March 23, 1972) is a French actress and author, born in Paris, France. ... Miramax Films is a film production and distribution brand that was a Big Ten film motion picture distribution and production company headquartered in New York City before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company. ... is the 129th day of the year (130th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... ISO 4217 Code FRF User(s) Monaco, Andorra, France except New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = 6. ... The year 1996 in film involved some significant events. ... Les Enfants du Paradis (Marcel Carne), one of the greatest French films ever made La regle du jeu (Jean Renoir), another candidate for the best French film LAtalante (Jean Vigo) La belle et la bête (Jean Cocteau) Diary of a Country Priest (Robert Bresson) Vivre sa Vie (Jean... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Hall of Mirrors redirects here. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Synopsis

The Marquis Grégoire Ponceludon de Malavoy (Charles Berling) is a minor aristocrat and engineer living in the Dombes, a boggy region north of Lyon. He is one of the few aristocrats who care about the plight of the peasants. Horrified by the sickness and death caused by the disease-carrying mosquitoes that infest the swamps, he draws up plans to drain them; however, the project is far too costly for him to pay for himself, so he goes to Versailles in the hope of obtaining the backing of King Louis XVI (Urbain Cancelier). Dombes is a historic region of east-southeastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the province of Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the département of Ain, and bounded W. by the Saone River. ... This article is about the French city. ... Hall of Mirrors redirects here. ... Louis XVI, born Louis-Auguste de France (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792. ...

Just before reaching Versailles, Ponceludon is robbed and beaten. He is found by the Marquis de Bellegarde (Jean Rochefort), a minor noble and physician whose wit lacks timeliness. As Ponceludon recuperates at the marquis' house, Bellegarde sympathizes with Ponceludon's mission and takes him under his wing, teaching him about wit (l'esprit), the primary way to be recognized at Versailles, where the aristocracy have taken to comparing themselves to Voltaire--all the while missing the point of their hero's ridicule. At first, Ponceludon's provincial background exposes him to attacks at parties and gatherings, even though he proves himself a worthy adversary in verbal sparring. Jean Rochefort (born 29 April 1930) is a French actor who has appeared in more than 100 movies. ...

At one such party, he catches L'abbé de Vilecourt (Bernard Giraudeau) cheating at a game of wits, with the help of his lover, Madame de Blayac (Fanny Ardant), a beautiful and rich recent widow of the man who was to have been Poceludon's sponsor at court. Although Madame de Blayac fears being exposed, Poceludon assures her that such is not his intention. Blayac repays his generosity by arranging for the certification of his lineage--thereby allowing his suit to proceed. Despite his success, Ponceludon begins to see how hollow and rotten is the tree that is the court at Versailles--a motif that runs throughout the film (his barren swamp-infested land; the dark roads that lead to court; the moral corruption of Versaille, etc.) Fanny Ardant in 8 femmes. ...

The only exception is Mademoiselle Mathilde Bellegarde ("beautiful guard, or beautiful to keep") (Judith Godrèche), the doctor's daughter. She initially agrees to marry Monsieur de Montaliéri, a rich, old aristocrat whose wife is dying. Her motivation is twofold: to support her science experiments and to help pay off her father's debts. She is, as her father inaccurately describes her, a child of Rousseau and his book Emile: Or, On Education, which emphasized a boy's free choice in his interests and the submission of women to their husbands, which Sophie is in direct opposition to. Ponceludon and Mathilde quickly fall in love. As a result, she begins to dread her upcoming marriage. from Ridicule Judith Godrèche (born March 23, 1972) is a French actress and author, born in Paris, France. ... Rousseau is a French surname. ...

Sensing the threat to her protegé from this unexpected quarter, Madame de Blayac traps Ponceludon during a dinner party (her accomplice is Motaliéri) where one too many guest has been invited. A contest of wit is used to settle who must make a humiliating departure. Sexually distracted by Blayac, Ponceludon is the loser and is convinced that his disgrace will force him to leave the court. However, he is reminded of why he set out in the first place when a village child dies from drinking contaminated water. During this time, Mathilde appears at court, breaking the terms of her engagement contract.

Freed from the threat of his rival, Vilecourt finally has his moment in the sun: an audience before the king. The abbé is an enthusiastic showman who initially impresses the king with his presentation of proof that God is the prime mover. The abbé, however, falls from grace, and Blayac turns her attention to Ponceludon--convincing him to return to Versailles. He sleeps with her in exchange for her assistance at court; in the end, she arranges a meeting with the king. She maliciously has Mathilde's father attend her in his capacity as a doctor while Ponceludon is still in her bedroom, ensuring that Mathilde learns of their relationship. This article is about the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

There is a presentation at court of Charles-Michel de l'Épée's work with deaf people and development of sign language. The nobles ridicule the deaf mercilessly. In response, de Bellegarde stands and asks how to sign "bravo," leading Ponceludon to rise and clap to show his support. This act of kindness touches Mathilde and they soon make up. Abbé Charles-Michel de lÉpée, b. ... Two sign language Intepreters working as a team for a school. ...

Ponceludon joins the king's entourage and, after showing off his engineering prowess by proposing an improvement to a cannon, secures a private meeting with the king to discuss his project. The embarrassed cannoneer then insults Ponceludon, forcing him into demanding a duel. Madame de Blayac almost persuades him to avoid the duel, but he eventually decides to proceed, under the supervision of de Bellegarde. He kills the cannoneer, but is later informed that Louis XVI cannot meet with someone who has killed one of his officers right after his death, although he is assured that it was right to uphold his honor.

Madame de Blayac is furious when she learns that Ponceludon has left her for Mathilde and plots her revenge. Ponceludon is invited to a costume ball "only for wits". Upon arriving at the ball with Mathilde, he is maneuvered into dancing with Madame de Blayac and is tripped. His spectacular fall earns him the derisive nickname the "Marquis des Antipodes". Ponceludon renounces the decadent court life and leaves with Mathilde. This map shows the antipodes of each point on the Earths surface – the points where the blue and pink overlap are land antipodes. ...

The movie closes in Dover, England, in 1794, after the French Revolution. Bellegarde has fled there for his safety. Text appears on screen informing the viewer that Citizens Grégoire and Mathilde Ponceludon successfully drained the Dombes and live well in revolutionary France. The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on...

Cast

• Charles Berling - Le Marquis Grégoire Ponceludon de Malavoy
• Jean Rochefort - Le Marquis de Bellegarde
• Fanny Ardant - Madame de Blayac
• Judith Godrèche - Mathilde de Bellegarde
• Bernard Giraudeau - L'abbé de Vilecourt
• Bernard Dhéran - Monsieur de Montaliéri

Charles Berling is an actor, realizer, scenario writer and French producer born on April 30, 1958 in Saint-Mandé in Val de Marne (France). ... Jean Rochefort (born 29 April 1930) is a French actor who has appeared in more than 100 movies. ... Fanny Ardant in 8 femmes. ... from Ridicule Judith Godrèche (born March 23, 1972) is a French actress and author, born in Paris, France. ...

Awards

Won

• César Award for Best Film
• César Award for Best Director - Patrice Leconte
• César Award for Best Costume Design - Christian Gasc
• César Award for Best Art Direction - Ivan Maussion
• BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language

The César Award for best picture winners: 1976 : Le vieux fusil directed by Robert Enrico 1977 : (Monsieur Klein) directed by Joseph Losey 1978 : Providence directed by Alain Resnais 1979 : Other Peoples Money (Largent des autres) directed by Christian de Chalonge 1980 : Tess (Tess) directed by Roman Polanski... Winners of the César Award in French film for best director: 1976 : Bertrand Tavernier  : (Que la fête commence) 1977 : Joseph Losey  : () 1978 : Alain Resnais  : (Providence) 1979 : Christian de Chalonge  : (LArgent des autres) 1980 : Roman Polanski  : (Tess) 1981 : François Truffaut  : (Le Dernier métro) 1982 : Jean-Jacques... Patrice Leconte (born November 12, 1947, in Paris, France) is a French film director and screenwriter. ... The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organization that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ...

Nominations

• César Award for Best Actor - Charles Berling
• César Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Bernard Giraudeau, Jean Rochefort
• César Award for Best Original Screenplay - Remi Waterhouse
• César Award for Best Music - Antoine Duhamel
• César Award for Cinematography - Thierry Arbogast
• César Award for Best Sound - Dominique Hennequin, Jean Goudier
• Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

Winners of the César Award in French film for best actor: 1976 : Philippe Noiret - (Le Vieux Fusil) 1977 : Michel Galabru - (Le Juge et lassassin) 1978 : Jean Rochefort - (Le Crabe-Tambour) 1979 : Michel Serrault - (La Cage aux folles) 1980 : Claude Brasseur - (La Guerre des polices) 1981 : Gérard Depardieu... Charles Berling is an actor, realizer, scenario writer and French producer born on April 30, 1958 in Saint-Mandé in Val de Marne (France). ... César Award in French film for Best Actor in a Supporting Role winners: 1976: Jean Rochefort in Que la fête commence 1977: Claude Brasseur in Un éléphant ça trompe énormément 1978: Jacques Dufilho in Le Crabe-tambour 1979: Jacques Villeret in Robert et Robert 1980: Jean... Jean Rochefort (born 29 April 1930) is a French actor who has appeared in more than 100 movies. ... Antoine Duhamel, born July 30, 1925 is a French composer, orchestra conductor and music teacher. ... Thierry Arbogast is a prolific and multi-award winning French cinematographer. ... 1976 : Nara Kollery (Black Moon) 1977 : Jean-Pierre Ruh (Mado) 1978 : Jacques Maumont (Providence) 1979 : William-Robert Sivel (Létat sauvage) 1980 : Pierre Gamet (Clair de femme) 1981 : Michel Laurent (Le Dernier Métro) 1982 : Jean-Pierre Ruh (Diva) 1983 : William Robert Sivel and Claude Villand (La Passante du sans... The Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Foreign Language Film is a yearly US award for the best film in a language other than English, released in the period October - September in the country of origin. ...

External links

Look up ridicule in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Ridicule at the Internet Movie Database

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