Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from. Danton is played large, lusty and dissipated by the french actor gerard depardieu, while robespierre is portrayed by the polish actor wojciech pszoniak as pale, zealous and ascetic. Press cc box in screen to activate english subtitles action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat. I dont know french, but even so, i was very impressed with his performance in danton, especially the courtroom speeches. The two poles of the french revolution were the passionate idealism of the republic and the utter finality of the guillotine. When president francois mitterrand of france saw danton, a new film about the french revolution by the distinguished polish director. Georges danton gerard depardieu and maximilien robespierre wojciech pszoniak fought side by side during the french revolution.
With gerard depardieu, wojciech pszoniak, anne alvaro, roland blanche. The conflict between robespierre and danton is a battle of ideas, the manifestation of the clash of idealism and pragmatism which took murderous proportions. While initially the revolution promised freedom, at this point the small committee running the country is extremely repressive and is a dictatorship. Danton 1983 movies and films database movie search. French revolutionary leader and jacobin who built a strong following among the popular classes of paris. The film stars gerard depardieu in the title role, with wojciech pszoniak as maximilien robespierre, and patrice chereau as camille desmoulins.
Published on may 17, 2017 action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat upon learning that the committee for public safety, under robespierres. The political events that took place during this period of time influenced him greatly as portrayed in the film. Danton is played by gerard depardieu, that large, proletarian french actor who is so useful in roles where highflown emotions need some sort of grounding. Anchoring georgesjacques dantons earthy temperament in his countryside upbringing, lawday depicts him in action during the series of insurrections, massacres, and wars that produced increasingly extremist regimes between 1789 and 1794.
In july 1794, three months after danton was guillotined, robespierre fell victim to the same modern. Georges danton, in full georgesjacques danton, born october 26, 1759, arcissuraube, francedied april 5, 1794, paris, french revolutionary leader and orator, often credited as the chief force in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the first french republic september 21, 1792. Jan 23, 2010 in this 1983 production, danton is portrayed by gerard depardieu. Danton was one of the leadindg lights of this revolution and his execution was near the end of it. Good acting, but some very poignant themes about legitimacy of government, power and freedoms.
The anarchist film archive presents danton 1983 andrzej wajda, watch online now. Danton 1983 allmovie movies and films database movie. Danton s role in the onset of the revolution has been disputed. It was directed by the polish director andrzej wajda and was an international coproduction between companies in france, poland and west germany. In 1982, legendary polish filmmaker andrzej wajda fled his homeland and relocated in france to direct this powerful story about the ethical boundaries of power and leadership, which had many parallels to polands volatile political situation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Georges danton gregarious, indulgent, confident and maximilien robespierre ill, ascetic, and portrayed. Favoring the system of a republic for the future of france, danton thought violence a necessary tool for achieving radical changes. Nearly thirty years have passed since andzrej wajdas danton, starring gerard depardieu as the insouciant revolutionary, opened in paris and warsaw. The french revolution was a watershed event in modern european history that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of napoleon bonaparte. Sep 28, 1983 danton brilliantly illuminates one of the most fascinating periods of the french revolution those early months in 1794 when danton, having been in selfimposed retirement in the country. The film, a francopolish collaboration featuring a transnational and bilingual cast, focuses on the political elite of the french revolution in the spring of 1794. It is an adaptation of the play the danton case by stanislawa. The list contains the best, new and most relevant french revolution movies ordered by relevance.
The film highlights the political struggles that took place as idealists tried to forge the state. Movie info action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat upon learning that the committee for public safety, under robespierres incitement, has. This is the story of one of the crucial points in the history of france, and europe, divided into two parts. He constantly quotes danton about audacity, in several articles. Danton finds itself comfortable at those two extremes and leaves the parts in the middle the facts, the issues, the minor personalities to the historians. The true story of the conflict between danton and robespierre, the leaders of the french revolution. Danton takes as its subject the conflict between two flawed leaders. He makes his hoarsevoiced, idealistic speeches to the senate sound like a football coach at halftime. When president francois mitterrand of france saw danton, a new film about the french revolution by the distinguished polish director andrzej wajda, he. The french statesman georges jacques danton 17591794 was a leader during the french revolution. Wojciech pszoniak, a polish actor, shares star billing as the thinlipped voice of reason, robespierre. The film dantonis about a revolutionary who objects to the course his revolution, the french revolution, has taken. Watching the french revolutionary leaders sacrifice all of their ideals one by one as morality is sacrificed to machiavellian, cold calculation is a warning to all of us. Like saturn, the revolution is devouring its childrenthe fury of the revolution unleashed obliterated its ideals.
Danton is a french language film that follows the last months of georges danton. Called the orator of the streets, he was the most prominent early defender of popular liberties and the republican spirit. This film was adapted from a play in poland called the danton case. Desmoulins was tried and executed alongside danton when the committee of public safety reacted against dantonist opposition. Wajdas dark, complex vision of the french revolution is clearly articulated by danton during his trial.
Danton, well known as a spokesman of the people, had been living in relative solitude in the french countryside, but he returned to paris to challenge robespierres violent rule and call for the people to demand their rights. The film tells upon the title role, danton gerard depardieu, confronting robespierre wojciech pszoniak during french revolution. Danton definition of danton by the free dictionary. The celebrated polish filmmaker, andrzej wajda directs. Georges danton was the titan of the french revolution, but like the girondins before him, he was too late in recognizing the need to stop the madness, the grinding of lives by the terror, and the excesses of the revolution they had unleashed on the hapless french people and, ultimately, the world. Danton 1982 the great polish director andrzej wajda had long wanted to turn the danton affair into a movie before finally doing so in 1983 with his film danton.
That was his debut in american film, but he is an awardwinning actor in french film. This film shows the last part of the french revolution and the last days of dantons life. Danton 17591794 as lawyer participated in overthrowing of king louis xvi and the proclamation of the republic, being minister of justice in the convention 1792and founder of cordeliers club. This movie is set five years later and the revolution has morphed into something ugly.
The movie is basically about the conflict between two of the most striking personalities of the period, the two revolutionary leaders danton and robespierre, who were on the same side at the beginning but came to have fundamental philosophical differences that only the guillotine could settle. This film is an international production effort between film companies in france, poland, and west. Robespierre goes to paris to remove his old friend from power, but. The french revolution as mirror of the past and the present. By concentrating on the dantonrobespierre conflict, danton skips over most of the usual epic crowd scenes but never seems compromised. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, serious, captivating, stylized, talky and humorous films and tv shows about with french revolution, revolution, society, guillotine, state affairs, death, love and romance, rebellion, politics and blood plots mostly in drama, history and. The film is based on real deeds, they are the following. Georges danton french revolutionary leader britannica. Although absent from the trial, danton had played a part in it since the autumn of 1792. Due to lack of proper historic records, his exact role in the french revolution is disputed by historians to this day. A recreation of the time period of french growing pains with freedom and independence. Wajda had seen the postwar dream of political transformation in his native poland turn to ashes. Laffaire dantonsprawa dantona, andrzej wajda in collaboration with, agnieszka holland in collaboration with, boleslaw michalek in collaboration with, jacek gasiorowski in collaboration with actors. Danton synonyms, danton pronunciation, danton translation, english dictionary definition of danton.
It had been intended as a collaboration between a largely polish cast and a french production company, gaumont, which, because of the sovietled coup in 1981, was forced to move its entire base of operations back to paris. It is an adaptation of the play the danton case by stanislawa przybyszewska. In this 1983 production, danton is portrayed by gerard depardieu. From 14 july 1789, the day of the storming of the bastille, he volunteered in the national guard. Although it describes events connected with the french revolution, danton has insights into politics, revolution, and the dangers of power that apply to all times. However the filmaker took a lot of liberities with history. Danton was a hero and one of the founders of the french revolution of 1789. When louis xvi summoned the etatsgeneraux, he unleashes a revolution that would change his country and cost his life. Danton has long been a staple of literature, he has featured in as many novels, poems and plays as robespierre himself, and the reason for this could be that he is one of the few figures of the french revolution who fulfill both the aesthetic, and especially romantic, ideal of the passionate revolutionary, the crusader for the people, and a. He was one of the leaders in the french revolution. The movie shows robespierre issuing sovietstyle instructions to an artist, insisting that a mural be altered because one of the revolutionary heroes it honors has already been executed as an enemy of the state.
By drawing parallels to polish solidarity, a movement that was being quashed by the government as the film went. Apr 01, 2020 georges danton, in full georgesjacques danton, born october 26, 1759, arcissuraube, francedied april 5, 1794, paris, french revolutionary leader and orator, often credited as the chief force in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the first french republic september 21, 1792. For a film which has been raked over the sharp critical coals by two horses as different as the french communist party and the hollywood industry magazine variety, its merits came as a. May 04, 2011 danton has long been a staple of literature, he has featured in as many novels, poems and plays as robespierre himself, and the reason for this could be that he is one of the few figures of the french revolution who fulfill both the aesthetic, and especially romantic, ideal of the passionate revolutionary, the crusader for the people, and a. One of the biggest surprises ive had this year was with danton, andrzej wajdas historical film on the french revolution. Wajdas danton, inside the french revolution the new. Alan points out, that white terror is not talked about, and it was worse. It led both protagonists to their deaths on the guillotine. Gerard depardieu, who is, of course, a french actor, stars as the sympathetic danton. He was a schoolmate of maximilien robespierre and a close friend and. In one hand, i wasnt expecting the film to be this exceptionally crafted, but on the other, it was a huge surprise that so few people have actually seen this picture. It is an adaptation of stanislawa przybyszewskas play, the danton case, completed in 1929. That the robespierrists, all of whom are seen as fanatics, some slightly less opportunistic than others. Netflix period drama to put a new spin on the french.
In 1793, as the terror begins in france, georges danton, a champion. Jeanclaude carriere scenario, stanislawa przybyszewska based on the play by. The 1929 play by stanislawa przybyszewska was known for its fascinating look at the power dynamics between the two titans of the french revolution. The 1983 film danton actually came out of a project originating in the polish solidarity movement. It was created in france after authorities in poland closed down studios belonging to wajda on allegations that he was sympathizing with trade unions. Georges danton was a french revolutionary, known as one of the key figures who initiated the french revolution to overthrow the monarchist regime in the late 18th century. Andrzej wajdas danton invaded the zoopalast and demonstrated to the berlin audience a perfect union of film art and politics. Wajdas danton, inside the french revolution the new york. Danton is a 1983 french language film depicting the last weeks of georges danton, one of the leaders of the french revolution. Danton is a famous film that was directed by andrzej wajda. Danton played a crucial role in the french revolution before his guillotining by the state together with others who were equally instrumental in the revolution.
Time was when the french revolution was considered a good. Acting as a metaphor for revolutionary events unfolding in 1980s poland, this historical drama follows danton and robespierre, allies during the french revolution who wind up on opposite sides of the struggle to control the countrys future. The problem of idealism and pragmatism in politics can be studied is its purest form by analysing the french revolution. Georges danton 17591794 one of the leading figures in the beginning of the french revolution and the first president of the committee of public safety committee of public safety c. Remember him in the 1990 romantic comedy green card. Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat upon learning that the committee for public safety, under robespierres incitement, has begun a series of. Mar 11, 2016 the problem of idealism and pragmatism in politics can be studied is its purest form by analysing the french revolution. Movies like danton if you like danton you are looking for talky, epic and serious movies about with french revolution, revolution, political unrest, politics, idealism, intrigue and death row themes of biography, drama and history genre shot in france or poland. Wajdas film on danton angers the french left the new york.
Georges danton was one of the foremost radical leaders during the french revolution. This french film from a polish director explores a famous friendship soured by politics and corruption. Wajdas intelligent and complex drama could be appreciated as a period piece about the french revolution as well as a. Andrej wajda tackles the story of the last political battle between french revolution titans danton and robespierre in a persuasive and involving drama about government machinations to. But when danton takes control of france and starts executing citi zens in droves, robespierre feels it his duty to challenge his onetime comrade.
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