Moliere

Moliere (2007): Many mainstream critics felt this movie about Moliere, France’s great playwright and satirist of the 1600’s wasn’t biographically correct enough or as witty as Moliere’s original works. Since the movie was about a period in his life where little is known and attempted to tell a story of what might have happened to push him onto the road toward greatness, that criticism rings just a bit hollow. And complaining that the work isn’t as good as Moliere’s original plays seems a carp that could cover almost all modern movies. In any event, the Tapehead must again eat his words about French movies as this one is an excellent costume drama with excellent humor and satire. It tells his story from the point where his acting company was deeply in debt and he involuntarily visited the local jail (a true event) but was bailed out by a rich merchant needing instruction on how to act gracefully so he could court a court hottie, a widowed marquise who only entertained nobles. The countryside is full of shallow nobles, rich merchants who have no idea about the value of things, bored wives, and daughters who don’t want to follow their parent’s wishes. Hmm, come to think of it, maybe not that much has changed in 400 years. The movie is full of beautiful sets, multiple belly laughs, and thoughtful seriousness as Moliere gets a number of life lessons as the movie progresses. If you don’t mind subtitles, this is one to watch. The movie is rated PG-13 for: excessive satire, multiple lustings, dim nobles, poor nobles, scheming nobles, and for the happy ending that falls together just in time.