Bon voyage (2003)

Director:

Jean-Paul Rappeneau

Writers:

Jean-Paul Rappeneau (scenario) and
Patrick Modiano (scenario) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 April 2003 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Plot:

An actress, a writer, a student, and a government worker band together in an effort to escape Paris as the Nazis move into the city.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Bordeaux | Actress | Heavy Water | Student

Awards:

5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Adjani	...	Viviane Denvers
Gérard Depardieu	...	Jean-Étienne Beaufort
Virginie Ledoyen	...	Camille
Yvan Attal	...	Raoul
Grégori Derangère	...	Frédéric Auger
Peter Coyote	...	Alex Winckler
Jean-Marc Stehlé	...	Professeur Kopolski
Aurore Clément	...	Jacqueline de Lusse
Xavier De Guillebon	...	Brémond
Edith Scob	...	Mme Arbesault
Michel Vuillermoz	...	M. Girard
Nicolas Pignon	...	André Arpel
Nicolas Vaude	...	Thierry Arpel
Pierre Diot	...	Maurice / Le gardien du studio
Pierre Laroche	...	L'érudit
Catherine Chevalier	...	La fille de l'érudit
Morgane Moré	...	La petite-fille de l'érudit
Olivier Claverie	...	Maître Vouriot
Wolfgang Pissors	...	L'agent allemand
Jacques Pater	...	Albert de Lusse
Jean-Pol Brissart	...	Le concierge de l'hôtel
Vincent Nemeth	...	Le maitre d'hôtel
Benjamin Bellecour	...	Le garçon d'étage
Marie-Armelle Deguy	...	La mondaine
Marie-Christine Orry	...	La vendeuse de chapeaux
Serpentine Teyssier	...	La secrétaire de Beaufort
Patrick Médioni	...	Le commissaire
Gary Matthews	...	Officier anglais
Benoît Bellal	...	Un policier français
Christian Drillaud	...	Parlementaire 1
Michel Dubois	...	Parlementaire 2
Christian Ruché	...	Parlementaire 3
Jacques Roerich	...	Parlementaire 4
Robert Darmel	...	Parlementaire 5
Gérard Collewaert	...	Le président de séance
Pascal Guégan
Jean Girard
Loïc Pichon
Vincent Schmitt
Frédéric Hulne		(as Frédéric Hulné)
Marc Bodnar
Edward Hamilton-Clark
Marie Berto
Martine de Rohan
Andrée Saint André
Pierre Louis-Calixte
Louis de Rohan-Chabot
Jacques Gallo
Dominique Touzé
Jean-Marc Bonnarme
Olivier Lefevre
Philippe Warembourg
Catherine Pepinster
Jean-Pierre Teliet		(as Jean-Pierre Téliet)
Bernard Beaune
Franck Thépener
Johannes Maria Lansche		(as Johannes-Maria Lansche)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lee Michelsen	...	Journaliste Americain (uncredited)
Daniel Villattes	...	Un vendeur de journaux (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Paul Rappeneau

Writing credits
Jean-Paul Rappeneau		(scenario) and
Patrick Modiano		(scenario)
Jérôme Tonnerre		(adaptation) and
Jean-Paul Rappeneau		(adaptation) and
Gilles Marchand		(adaptation) and
Julien Rappeneau		(adaptation)

Produced by
Laurent Pétin	....	producer
Michèle Pétin	....	producer

Original Music by
Gabriel Yared

Cinematography by
Thierry Arbogast

Film Editing by
Maryline Monthieux

Casting by
Frédérique Moidon

Production Design by
Jacques Rouxel

Costume Design by
Catherine Leterrier

Makeup Department
Ginette Arbogast	....	makeup artist
Laurence Azouvy	....	key makeup artist
Claude Belot	....	hair stylist
Cédric Chami	....	key hair stylist
Anne-Marie Demeur	....	makeup artist
Turid Follvick	....	makeup artist: Mr. Depardieu (as Turid Follvik)
Anthony Gaillard	....	special makeup effects artist
Catherine George	....	makeup artist
Christophe Giraud	....	makeup artist
Stéphanie Guillon	....	additional makeup artist
Marie-Pierre Hattabi	....	hair stylist
Nathalie Louichon	....	makeup artist
Bettina Miquaix	....	hair stylist
Jacques-Olivier Molon	....	special makeup effects artist
Stéphane Robert	....	makeup artist
Tony Rocchetti	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Dimitri Billecocq	....	unit manager
Patrick Bordier	....	production manager
Fabien Cimetière	....	assistant unit manager
Guy Courtecuisse	....	post-production manager
Christelle Didier	....	post-production supervisor
Fabrice Gay	....	unit manager
Marc Guidetti	....	unit manager
Vincent Lecerf	....	assistant unit manager
Pascaline Renaudineau	....	assistant unit production manager
Laurent Rizzon	....	unit manager
Bruno Salinas	....	unit manager
Philippe Tricard	....	assistant unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Martin Bourboulon	....	second assistant director
Mathilde Cavillan	....	trainee assistant director
Roger Delattre	....	second assistant director
Stéphane Gluck	....	first assistant director
Jérôme Raffaelli	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Stéphanie Bertrand	....	second assistant decorator
Philippe Boulenouar	....	construction manager
Séverine Brunner	....	tapestry
Bruno Coucoureux	....	head carpenter
Benoît Dupuis	....	painter
Maamar Ech-Cheikh	....	first assistant decorator
Benoît Flamand	....	second assistant decorator
Olivier Garand	....	painter
Bertrand Guinnebault	....	head painter
Bernard Husquin	....	head carpenter
Frédéric Jourdan	....	carpenter
Jean-François Juvanon	....	painter
Jacques Leguillon	....	props
Sylvain Malheraux	....	tapestry
Daniel Mauvignier	....	head painter
Henri Moisan	....	props
Agnes Morel	....	second assistant decorator
Céline Naud	....	assistant props
Chantal Pernecker	....	artistic collaborator
Frédéric Pesquer	....	tapestry
Gilbert Pignol	....	head painter
Thierry Rouxel	....	set dresser
Franck Savary	....	painter
Caroline Sina	....	tapestry
Michel Vialla	....	props
Stephane Vuigner	....	metal worker
Albert Wiss	....	painter
Serge Borgel	....	ripper (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Damien Bera	....	assistant sound recordist
Yannick Boulot	....	assistant sound recordist
Vincent Breau	....	assistant boom operator
Bernard Chaumeil	....	boom operator
Gurwal Coïc-Gallas	....	assistant sound editor
Assia Dnednia	....	assistant foley artist (as Assia Zipper)
Isabelle Filippi	....	assistant post-synchronization
Michel Filippi	....	adr supervisor
Pierre Gamet	....	sound
Jean Goudier	....	sound editor
Dominique Hennequin	....	sound mixer
Jean-Paul Hurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jean-Louis Lebras	....	boom operator
Pedro Marques	....	synchronization sound engineer
Gilles Missir	....	foley recordist
Julie Perez	....	assistant sound recordist

Special Effects by
Sebastien Alagnon	....	special effects
Franck Bonetto	....	special effects
Jean-Baptiste Bonetto	....	special effects
Bernard Bordet	....	special effects
Noel Chainbaux	....	special effects
Michel Gery	....	special effects
Olivier Gleyze	....	special effects
Germain Louvel	....	special effects
Gil Nello	....	special effects
Thierry Reymonenq	....	special effects
Laurent Valla	....	special effects
Benjamin Vermot	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Christophe Belena	....	scan and conforming: Duboicolor
Mélodie Boileau	....	visual effects coordinator
Andre Brizard	....	digital compositor
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects supervisor
Thierry Delobel	....	digital artist
Séverine De Wever	....	production coordinator
François Dupuy	....	I/O supervisor
Xavier Fourmond	....	digital compositor
Xavier Fourmond	....	digital effects artist
Abdel Ali Kassou	....	scanning and printing
Didier le Fouest	....	digital colorist
Bruno Le Provost	....	senior digital artist
Jeremie Leroux	....	digital artist
Tina Lin	....	scan and conforming technician: Duboicolor
Nicolas Pelle	....	scan and conforming technician: Duboicolor
Bruno Sommier	....	shooting supervisor
Georges Tornero	....	digital compositor
Daniel Trujillo	....	digital compositor
Edouard Valton	....	visual effects producer
Veronique Zylberfain	....	matte painting artist

Stunts
Francis Auguy	....	stunts
Alain Barbier	....	stunts
Jean-Marc Bellu	....	stunts
William Cagnard	....	stunts
Gilles Cappelletto	....	stunts
Michel Carliez	....	stunt coordinator
Gaëlle Cohen	....	stunts
Gilles Conseil	....	stunts
David Genty	....	stunts
Albert Goldberg	....	stunts
Michel Julienne	....	stunt driver
Patrick Médioni	....	stunts
Josy Venon	....	stunts
Olivier Vitrant	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Jean-Paul Agostini	....	first assistant camera
Yves Agostini	....	camera operator
David Campbell	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Mathieu Caudroy	....	Steadicam operator
Dominique Delguste	....	additional camera operator
Olivier Dury	....	assistant camera
Olivier Dury	....	first assistant camera: second team
Jean-Pierre Gesbert	....	grip
Claude Hirsch	....	chief electrician
Maud Lemaistre	....	assistant camera
Laurent Malek	....	electrician
Laurent Martin	....	grip
Philippe Pantanella	....	electrician
Jérôme Prébois	....	still photographer
Xavier Renaudot	....	electrician
Vincent Richard	....	second assistant camera
Benoît Theunissen	....	key grip
Stéphane Thiry	....	grip

Casting Department
Pascale Béraud	....	extras casting
Anne Lafosse	....	casting assistant
Alexandra Métaireau	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thierry Delettre	....	key costumer
Janet Latimer	....	wardrobe
Jacques Mazuel	....	costumer
Michèle Pezzin	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Virginie Bruant	....	assistant editor
Karen Cerutti	....	editor trainee
Yvan Lucas	....	color timer
Bruno Patin	....	color timer
Lucile Sautarel	....	conforming editor

Music Department
John Anderson	....	musician: oboe
John Bell	....	orchestrator
Sue Bohling	....	musician: cor anglais
Simon Chamberlain	....	musician: piano
Peter Cobbin	....	music editor
Isobel Griffiths	....	musicians contractor
Richard Lancaster	....	assistant music editor
Sam Okell	....	assistant scoring engineer
Harry Rabinowitz	....	conductor
Rolf Wilson	....	musician: first violin
Gabriel Yared	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Tahar Boualam	....	groupman
Ian Burley	....	subtitler (US/UK release)
Guy Courtecuisse	....	post-production manager
Pierre de Domingo	....	assistant: Isabelle Adjani
Corinne Devaux	....	choreographer
Cathy Dutheil	....	production secretary
Claire Galloy	....	location scout
Jean-Marc Haddad	....	infography
Jean-Claude Lecoq	....	armorer
Philippe Letode	....	location scout
Sophie Musset	....	location manager
Édith Pavageau	....	assistant production administrator
Marion Pin	....	script supervisor
Martine Quinternet	....	assistant production administrator
Jean-Michel Rudrauf	....	infography
Gaëlle-Anne Salin	....	assistant production administrator (as Gaëlle-Anne Salin-Montagne)
Philippe Tourret	....	location manager
Bernadette Zinck	....	production administrator

Thanks
Anne Baquet	....	thanks
Colette Barber	....	thanks: Abbey Road Studios
Luc Besson	....	thanks: from Michèle et Laurent Pétin
Brigitte Brauner	....	thanks: Bureau Parisien de Film (as Madame Brigitte Brauner)
Jean-Claude Carrière	....	thanks: from Michèle et Laurent Pétin
Xavier Dreyfuss	....	thanks: Studios NX
Bertrand de Labbey	....	thanks: from Michèle et Laurent Pétin
Nathaniel Mechaly	....	thanks: Studios NX
Régine Silberg	....	thanks: VMA
Daniel Toscan du Plantier	....	thanks: from Michèle et Laurent Pétin

Production Companies

• ARP Sélection
• France 2 Cinéma (in co-production with)
• France 3 Cinéma (in co-production with)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Région Ile-de-France (supported by)

Distributors

• ARP Sélection (France) (theatrical)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2003) (France) (DVD) (special edition)
• 01 Distribuzione (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• EuropaCorp. Japan (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Bioscop (Czech Republic)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Swiat (2004) (Poland) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Manga Films (Spain)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• FX Cinéma
• Les Versaillais

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recording studio: Mixing assist
• Abbey Road Studios  thanks (as Colette Barbier et toute l'Équipe des Studios Abbey Road)
• Studios Ferber  music recording studio: song "Bon voyage"
• VMA  thanks
• Studios NX  thanks
• Bureau Parisien du Film  thanks
• Mairie de Paris  thanks (as Mairie de Paris - Direction de la Voirie et des Déplacements)
• Préfecture de Police de Paris  thanks
• Mairie de Poissy  thanks
• Mairie de Bordeaux  thanks
• Communauté Urbaine de Bordeaux  thanks
• Mairie de la Teste de Buch  thanks
• Mairie de Vichy  thanks
• Mairie d'Autun  thanks
• Office National des Forêts de Mimizan et de la Teste de Buch  thanks
• Lycée Jacques Decour  thanks
• Collège de France  thanks
• Lucie St. Clair Paris  thanks
• Hôtel Raphaël  thanks (as Hôtel Raphaël Paris)
• S.N.C.F.  thanks
• Van Cleef & Arpels  thanks (as La Maison Van Cleef & Arpels)
• Hermès  thanks (as La Maison Hermes)
• Lanvin  thanks (as La Maison Lanvin)
• Lancel  thanks (as La Maison Lancel)
• France Télécom  thanks (as France Télécom / Archives et patrimoine historique)
• Aéroports de Paris  support
• Annamode 68  costumes: Rome
• Tirelli Costumi  costumes
• Angels & Bermans, Paris  costumes (as Angels Paris)
• Les Ateliers du Costume  costumes (as Ateliers du Costumes)
• France Costumes  costumes
• Madame Bijoux  jewelry
• L.C.P. di Pompei  shoes (as Pompeï)
• Transpalux  electrical equipment
• Les Auditoriums de Joinville  sound re-recording (as Auditoriums de Joinville)
• D.C. Audiovisuel  sound equipment
• Arane  titles
• Global Music Service  music copyist
• Key Grip Systems  grip equipment

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violence.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English | German

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:PG | Czech Republic:15 | Italy:T | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Aletti Palace Hotel, Vichy, Allier, France

Company:

ARP Sélection

Trivia:

During lunch in the hotel Beaufort asks Frederic if he knew Viviane's father, "the hero"? 'Gerard Depardieu', who plays Beaufort, starred in both the original and the remake of the film Mon père, ce héros. (1991).

Soundtrack:

Bon voyage

It is earnestly delightful in spite of the serious subject of wartime woes.

It's wartime drama - WWII, with French and Jews and Germans, but this one is somehow fun, earnestly so. Director Jean-Paul Rappeneau co-wrote the script to his well-received film "Bon Voyage" (2003). Unlike director Bertrand Tavernier's "Safe Conduct" aka "Laissez-passer" (2002), w-d Rolf Schubel's "Gloomy Sunday" (1999), or w-d Claude Berri's "Lucie Aubrac" (1997), "Bon Voyage" is as chipper as its title sounds - c'est la vie (whatever) - and we have the beautiful talented Isabelle Adjani to thank for. It is her delightful performance throughout as the center of attraction (and attention), the cause and effect of it all, that made the film so enjoyable as it is. Hell, what's another derailment of her plan and expectations - will worry about that another time. The backbone of the story does revolve around a pair of young enthusiasts: Grégori Derangère as Frédéric and Virginie Ledoyen (from Francois Ozon's "8 Women") as Camille. The incomparable Gérard Depardieu, the witty Yvan Attal (of "My Wife is An Actress") and versatile Peter Coyote (juggling French, English and German here) are some of the stellar cast involved.

There are many characters coming and going in this plot of a movie, and how it's all juggled is a skilful knack that requires no analysis - Rappeneau is simply a genius. The story just builds upon itself, one episode after another, or even with overlapping events, but never confusing - that's the delight of it all, somehow every detail turns out right on the screen and we just lap it all up like a tastily presented French dessert, literally so. There's thrills, trills, tender hesitant moments and taut ominous escapes, all playing out in front of our eyes.

From reading the Director's Note on the Sony Pictures Classics' Bon Voyage official site, Rappeneau indicated this is his most personal and successful work ever. Depicting Bordeaux 1940 from memories of his childhood years is very much close to his heart and he "had worked and reworked the script for almost 3 years." This film is a labor of love all round, the cast and crew complementing the director's passion and a formidable script by collaborative writers along with the director and his son Julien - adaptation efforts by Gilles Marchand, Patrick Modiano, and Jérôme Tonnerre.

Music by Gabriel Yared (varied in tone from his previous film scores like "The English Patient" or "Talented Mr. Ripley"), who provided a befitting theme that kept the pace and rhythm of the plot going - almost like a train going non-stop, reflecting Adjani's Viviane's vivacious energy (even when she's tired), keeping her going as she meets whatever comes, walking on with head held high and stylish attire always, no looking back, let alone time for regrets.

Ah, mustn't forget the wonderfully translated, skilful subtitles by Ian Burley, who also did subtitles for films in Italian: "Bread and Tulips" (2000) aka Pane e tulipani, "The Last Kiss" (2001) aka L'ultimo bacio, and Tom Tykwer's "Heaven" (2002).

If you find this much too light a wartime relationship drama, try w-d Mäx Fäberböck's "Aimée and Jaguar" (1999, in German, based on a true story) with brilliant performances from Juliane Köhler as Aimée and Maria Schrader as Jaguar.