Barocco movie storyline. Former film critic André Téchiné directed and co-wrote this offbeat crime drama. Samson (Gérard Depardieu) is a down-on-his-luck boxer who manages to win a fortune thanks to a fixed fight. However, while Samson and his girlfriend Laure (Isabelle Adjani) are trying to get away with the money, he is killed by a gunman who looks just like Samson (and is also played by Depardieu). Laure is crushed, but in time she finds herself attracted to Samson’s murderous double; he is also drawn to her, and they eventually become lovers. The supporting cast includes Marie-France Pisier and Jean-Claude Brialy.
Barocco is a 1976 French romantic thriller film, directed by André Téchiné. The film stars Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu and Marie-France Pisier. Identity, redemption and resurrection are the themes of the film. The plot follows a young woman who convinces her boxer boyfriend to accept a bribe to tell a lie that discredits a local politician. When the boyfriend is murdered, she is racked with guilt until she meets the killer and plans to remake him into the image of her slain lover. The film won three César Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Cinematography and Best Music. The film had a total of 678,734 admissions in France.
Téchiné took the title of his film from the work Barroco (1974) written by Severo Sarduy, a Cuban poet and cultural theorist exiled in Paris. The director was also inspired by the Baroque painting, the Exchange of Princesses (1621–1625) by Rubens, in which one figure is becoming the copy of the other. Téchiné’s third feature had a bigger budget than Souvenirs the France, his previous film, and it was produced by Alain Sarde with finance from Les Films de la Boetie, which made many of Claude Chabrol’s films of the period, and Sara Films. The screenplay was written by Téchiné with Marilyn Goldin, they had collaborated also in Souvenirs d’en France.[3] Barocco was shot in Amsterdam.
About the Story
In a French speaking port in Northern Europe, Laure, an aimless young woman, goes to see her boyfriend, Samson, a washed up boxer. While posing for photographs, that are going to illustrate an interview for a newspaper, Samson is offered to take a huge amount of money if he lies, confessing in the interview to have an homosexual relationship with a politician, who is a candidate in an oncoming election.
The smearing campaign has been hatched by political rivals involved with gang members. Samson is hesitant, but Laure pushes him to take the offer. The money would allow them to have a better future somewhere else. Members of the campaign of the politician in question, informed of the impending interview and outrageous revelations, contact Samson and Laure and made them changed their minds, offering them an equal amount of money if they just leave for a trip abroad.
Laure goes to her house located in the city’s red light district. Her roommate, Nelly, a goodhearted prostitute, advertises her trade from a show window. She has a baby daughter and is looking for a name for her newborn. Nelly tries to persuade her friend from leaving and an argument stars between them. Jules, Nelly’s husband, intervenes and Nelly, discovering the money hidden in Laure’s bag, lets her leave but insist that Jules escort her to the train station.
At the station, Samson has been followed by two hired assassins. Laure buys the train tickets and hides the money at the station’s lockers, but prevented by Samson they go separate ways. She waits for him at a local diner, but ends ups falling sleep and spending the night there. The next morning she is awaken no by Samson but by one of the killers for hire, who demands the money. While she tries to run, Samson shows up on the snowy street and he is immediately shot by the assassin. Samson falls death while a train approaches the station.
After the assassination, Samson’s killer, a brunette dead ringer for the murdered man, looks for Laure and the money. Returning from helping the police with the murder investigation, Laure bravely confronts the killer who is smitten by her. Walt, the editor of the newspaper that was going to run the scandalous revelations about the politician, gets involved in Samson’s murder investigation. He is helped by Antoinette, his assistant, a newspaper reporter who is secretly in love with him. Walt goes as far as to contact both Gauthier, the leader of the gang that ordered Samson’s assassination and members of the campaign of the politician object of the smear campaign.
Barocco (1976)
Directed by: André Téchiné
Starring: Isabelle Adjani, Gérard Depardieu, Marie-France Pisier, Jean-Claude Brialy, Julien Guiomar, Hélène Surgère, Jean-François Stévenin, Peter Bonke, Leny Suck, Elise Hoomans, Frans Vorstman, Adrian Brine, Truus Dekker, Susan Senduk, Serge-Henri Valcke
Screenplay by: Marilyn Goldin, André Téchiné
Production Design by: Ferdinando Scarfiotti
Cinematography by: Bruno Nuytten
Film Editing by: Claudine Merlin
Costume Design by: Christian Gasc
Art Direction by: Benedict Schillemans
Makeup Department: Ronaldo Abreu, Chantal Durpoix
Music by: Philippe Sarde
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Les Films de la Boétie
Release Date: December 8, 1976
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