Indochine

If you want to make a great epic film you have to include three basic components. First, it has to take place in the past. Ideally, at some significant point in history: Ben Hur at the time of Jesus Christ or Gone with the Wind during the Civil War. Second, it must be set in an exotic locale. Sorry, New York City won’t due. Lawrence of Arabia had the desert, 2001: A Space Odyssey had space. Thirdly, it has to be tragic. Not a lot of puppy dogs and ice cream in epics. Out of Africa and All Quiet on the Western Front both contain tragic elements. How does Indochine stack up? Not too bad.

In 1930s Indochina, Eliane (Catherine Deneuve) owns one of the country’s largest rubber plantations. She lives with her father and adopted daughter Camille, a native girl who lost her parents in infancy. Eliane’s existence is one of luxury but her relationships are few. Loneliness turns to passion when she meets Jean-Baptiste (Vincent Perez), a handsome young French Navy Lieutenant. The two begin an affair but Jean-Baptiste’s adventurous ways are not conducive to commitment. Eliane’s attempt to forget Jean-Baptiste is derailed once Camille reveals her love for him after he rescues her from an act of street violence. In order to protect Camille, a jealous Eliane uses her connections to banish Jean-Baptiste to a remote outpost. Her actions drive a rift between her and Camille.

Angry and bitter, Camille agrees to an arranged marriage. Shortly after the wedding she turns her back on an affluent life and sets off to find Jean-Baptiste. A romantic reunion becomes fatal and the lovers are forced into exile. A massive manhunt by the Navy and police is unleashed to capture Camille and Jean-Baptiste before they reach China. Meanwhile, Eliane must deal with her tarnished reputation while hoping for her daughter’s safe return. As time passes Camille and Jean-Baptiste’s story takes on mythic status, inciting the growing Communist populace to accelerate its removal of the French sympathetic regime. Birth, death, and the transformation of a nation are crucial parts to a powerful conclusion.

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As epics go Indochine meets the necessary criteria. It takes place in the 1930s, set against a lush SE Asia backdrop, relating a tragic story. Director Regis Wargnier unfolds a sweeping romance that spans close to twenty years, while documenting the last days of Indochina prior to its conversion to Vietnam. The beautiful Catherine Deneuve delivers a standout performance as the proud, forlorn Eliane. She carries the film admirably as only an actress of her standing can. Indochine won a deserving Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and belongs on the epic list. It fails to reach greatness but it makes for fine Saturday night viewing.

A scene from Indochine: