One man kills another senselessly on the French island of St. Pierre off the coast of Newfoundland and is sentenced to be executed by guillotine. Unfortunately, the island has no guillotine and has to import one from Martinique. The murderer will live for several months before it arrives. In the meantime, the wife of the army captain, played by Juliette Binoche, takes an interest in the murderer, played by director Emir Kusturica, and helps him become a better man. By the time the guillotine arrives, the people of St. Pierre no longer want the execution. But the government is insistent, as it would make them look bad to their French superiors. It's a great premise. Unfortunately, Leconte does little with it. It's fairly boring through most of its run, and its points are obvious and not especially interesting. If the film was specifically meant to be anti-capital punishment, it cheats too much. The man Kusturica kills has no character, no family, no one who loves him. He's killed basically because he's a fat nobody and he's quickly forgotten. After the incident, Kusturica is basically a perfect gentleman. It's not too hard to argue against executing this fellow. Juliette Binoche, one of my favorite actresses ever, only barely gets to demonstrate her considerable talents. I do like her wardrobe, though.
Review of Widow of St. Pierre
