User reviews

There's a story behind this movies existence that is as interesting as the film itself. It's disappointing to know that scenes involving the original story writers daughter (played by veteran Eileen Atkins) were deleted prior to the films release. Unfortunately, all that's left of these scenes is a montage of pages from her mothers original manuscript shown under the end credits - using these notes in this way can prove a little confusing for those unaware of the origins of these writings - as it tends to appear as if the films story was based on factual characters (while I'm sure many were indeed based on very real people and for the most part the instances portrayed were founded on some terrible historical facts).

The author of the original story, Irene Nemirovsky, was tragically sent to her death at the hands of the invading German army following bitter fighting during the occupation of France in 1942. Her husband, before he also was executed, gave their daughter Denise his wife's manuscripts. Denise, for emotional reasons did not read her mother's writings till an astounding 60yrs later. She eventually had them compiled into a novel that was published in 2002 - becoming an international best seller. Story rights were then sold for production as a screenplay. Denise sadly died just before the films release. To play the main protagonist producers cast Michele Williams (My week With Marilyn '11) mother to the late Heath Ledgers daughter. Considering some of William's earlier roles she is nothing short of remarkable - turning in a convincingly measured performance as the repressed Lucile Angellier.

This is more than a conventional wartime romantic movie as it deals realistically with the shocking impact of oppression and the devastating consequences it brings to all involved. Perhaps had the film makers paid a little less attention to the screenplays various sexual intrigues, they may have been able to treat us to those deleted scenes detailing the fascinating real life story - involving the writers daughter discovering her mothers work all those years after the event!. Director and co-screenplay writer Saul Dibb along with collaborating writer Matt Charman - join forces with director of photography Eduard Grau to create some remarkably atmospheric scenes. One well executed sequence featuring endless lines of displaced French families fleeing the relentless onslaught on foot, is a sad and dramatic sight.

Those who remain in their homes are met with enforced billeting of German Officers - this brings out the worst of human nature with neighboring villagers sending notes 'rating' on their fellow neighbor's to gain favour from the Germans - a shocking act indeed. Music plays a key role throughout the film with a romantic piano soliloquy composed by Alexandre Desplate played throughout. The exciting accompanying action score is contributed by Rael Jones. Overall this is a sincere portrait of a dreadful time in human history and while the the script may falter in several situations it's far more thoughtful than some other offerings along these lines. Performances are strong with a sterling cast of professionals working at their peak.

Note: This film is remarkably similar to an earlier production, staring the great Maria Schell "So Little Time" '52" - this marvelous classic film has recently been released on DVD in England and is more than well worth locating.

Suite Francaise is, for me, a rather sophisticated commentary on inequality and dispossession.

The characters in Suite Francaise are never to any measurable degree in control of their own fate. They are each controlled and constrained by social, economic and political prohibitions. In their own way each suffers a form of inequality of treatment, which leads to some form or other of dispossession.

For the lead characters, the young French wife and the German officer she comes to love, the most obvious inequality is their inability to form and sustain a loving relationship.They are constrained by political differences and social prejudices. Other characters experience dispossession as a result of a variety of factors such as class bias and racial discrimination. The loss in these cases, ranges from dispossession from property, through to deportation and death.

What is clear is the authors frustration and fury at the insanity of the world we live in. How so called civilizations and on a more local level individuals, demonstrate spitefulness and pettiness, (demonstrated by neighbours writing incriminating letters to the occupying German forces about one another) that prevent us all from leading free and happy lives.

This message is driven home all the more painfully and forcefully when you consider the tragic fate of the Jewish author, whose work this film is based upon. Sent to her death at a Nazi concentration camp simply for being Jewish.

The film adaption, derived from her incomplete series of books, is perhaps, a little stilted at times. This may in part be due to the fact the books were incomplete but possibly also due to the subtly of the message, which is not easily communicated in a ninety minute or so film.

In summary, Suite Francaise, is a thoughtful film. The compelling and heartfelt message which asks us all to practice kindness, understanding and tolerance when faced with its antithesis is as relevant in today's troubled times as ever it was. Eight out of ten from me.

During war time sacrifices have to be made. Some have to do with our private space, some with our personal space too. All dig into our personal life and depending on the person invading (pun somewhat intended) it will lead to different results. So we may be inclined to paint every Nazi as a bad person or just a demon/devil without any depth or sympathy for that person.

This movie does try to delve deeper into it and tell a bit of a different story. War is hard on everybody and depending on how your character is developed you'll make decisions that can be qualified as good or bad, be it in hindsight or just judging at the moment. The drama part does work and there are no easy solutions if any at all. Not an easy but an uncomfortable viewing experience which is exactly what it was meant to be

What a lovely movie. A truly horrid time, war, finds something so real and alive, love and passion. Michelle Williams is a true untapped resource for a strong performance. I wish she did more films. She is stunning in the most real and beautiful way. She draws you in and makes you feel every emotion tenfold. A true powerhouse of talent. Kristin Scott Thomas plays the perfect stone old maid but with an underlying warm heart. In a time of war everyone had to brick their hearts away or be dragged under by the war machine. She portrays that beautifully. She plays the part from top to bottom with the zest of a Disney villain. BUT, don't judge too quickly. Matthias....ahhh Matthias. Can't get me enough of him. Yet another hidden gem of Hollywood.

At the beginning of WWII, a young married woman (Williams) and her mother in law (Scott Thomas) living in a village close to Paris, are forced to take in their house a German officer from the occupying forces (Schoenaerts).

Scott Thomas is perfect as Madame Angellier, the icy mother in law with a twist. Williams and Schoenaerts are suitably reserved and understated as the star-crossed lovers. Sounds predictably tragic, but it is actually a very well made and interpreted movie. Also an engaging and believable love story, rather than a paint-by-number or a post-modern one.

The supporting cast is equally good, with a bunch of inhabitants - from the local gentry to the lowest peasants - in conflict with each other and foolishly thinking they can exploit the nasty German occupants to settle personal scores.

The melancholy of the story rings true, maybe because it is based on a novel written at the time of the events narrated. Definitely a refreshing experience in old-style storytelling – think "Casablanca", with slightly more gory details and less hope in the future of a beautiful friendship.

I was nearly put off going to see this after reading a few sneering reviews, which in retrospect appear to have been more an attempt by the critic to show off about their having read the novel than having actually anything to do with what's on screen.

Yes, the narration is a little heavy handed at times but ultimately necessary and the incongruous "When it comes to war you really find out what people are really like" early on felt like it was being trowelled out so we didn't miss it. Sure, it's not perfect but these are minor niggles not major flaws.

Thankfully, it isn't a boy invades village; girl falls in love; boy isn't as beastly as first thought kind of story. Life's more complicated than that. Where the film excels is that what you think of a character changes as the film progresses. There is no good German. There is no black and white collaboration. There are just people confronted with circumstances and how they react to them.

Michelle Williams brilliantly underplays her role which counteracts the clumsiness of the script in places, Matthias Schoenaerts is superb as the sensitive and conflicted man of war and the supporting cast excellent.

It's a little gem.

Perhaps the best thing about 'Suite Française' is that the love story is intriguing. This is a rare thing nowadays and brings to mind the great heyday of romance in the Seventies. 'Suite Française' is set in Nazi occupied France during the start of World War II. You will therefore be crying with powerful and furious emotion. Michelle Williams is at the fore front of this film; gladly she does not fail or let the production team down in any respect. She plays a French Villager (I think) called Lucile Angellier. I say this statement with doubt as last time I checked French people did not speak English as their first language. Her overbearing mother is played with severity by Kristin Scott Thomas. She outright leads her daughter's life for her and plays a prominent role in all of her decisions, whether they be little or large. Their village becomes ruled and dictated by German soldiers, some much more brutal than others. There are different personalities and beliefs to each of them. This is great to see, because it paints a broader and larger painting. It shows us that not everyone can be placed definitively into a category.

Lucile is eventually watched over by a lieutenant by the name of Bruno Von Falk. Yes they do fall in love. But it is not as clichéd as I had suspected even if it does fall prone to a few nearly unavoidable clichés. It is the small subtleties that shape their romance. Lucille grows tired of her mother being in charge of her own life and this relationship allows her to become more independent and free minded. This provides the audience with depth, as it is not just a forbidden romance, but a necessary one as well. The lieutenant is acted sufficiently by Matthias Schoenaerts, who proves that he is not just a pretty face off of Hollywood's conveyor belt of seemingly endless blank, bland and boring male actors.

The horrors of war are slightly forgotten about as the film enters its later stages of the romance. But I cannot become too angry at the film, as it is a romance and not a war film. The film maintains good pacing, so that nothing is sudden and unexpected. This is an absolute necessity as we must become invested in the romance as time progresses. This is something that the Director should be proud of. That we maintain a surging like towards the two leads and always care about the characters. For the impatient they may find the whole affair too plodding, as there is only one action set piece located at the start of the film and even that is as brief as they come. But ask yourself, do we really need more action; for this type of film, no, absolutely not. In the last act of it, it becomes a sad if predictable experience, which therefore means that the smallest trace of a tear is kept at bay. The film in its final moments is everything that it promised us it would not be; clichéd and predictable.

Although far too predictable in its final act 'Suite Française' represents one of the more plausible romances in recent memory. The acting is enthusiastic by Michelle Williams and the male lead gets the job done. 'Suite Française' may be too drama heavy, but if the romance is this engaging; then frankly my dear I don't give a damn.

Suite Française sounds like an overused plot that one can predict from a mile away but it's not. The story's not another version of Romeo and Juliet's impossible love. It's subtle, sweet, and smart because it makes you think - just a little bit don't worry - about morals, values, and ideologies our own and that of the ones we love. The film is about a blooming love story but a complicated one.

Lucile & Bruno's longing and desire for each other doesn't get frustrating or outrageously déjà vu, it only adds another flavor, to the many, in the film. It contrasts well with Celine's (Margot Robbie) lack of restraint on her urges. It begs the question on ideologies and desire, when do they impede each other? No one is just one dimensional in this film, you see the good, the bad, and questionable in every one. Ambivalence is the key word in this film, conflicting emotions and ideologies is in the center of this story.

The storytelling is just amazing, layered with subtlety and beauty, it carries you through every step of the way like musical notes played on the piano. The ensemble cast is great, all of the characters have some kind of layers to them, each of them memorable in their own way, without ever making the film crowded or hard to follow. Kristin Scott Thomas embodies the devotion her character has, Michelle Williams fits the role perfectly she has this quite strength that Lucile needs, and Matthias Schoenaerts really is the prince in the big bad wolf suit or vice versa.

Suite Française is a captivating and poignant story that has an equally emotive roots, the film surprised me. @wornoutspines

It is a very nice romantic movie, but it also shows the horrors of war; the plot is very good and the performances of Michelle Williams and Matthias Schoenaerts are excellent; it is highly recommended.

18 March 2015 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - Suite Française. Based on an unfinished series of books by Irène Némirovsky, a Ukranian Jew who died in Auschwitz, they were discovered and held by her children, but not read until 1998. They were eventually published as a single volume in 2004 and this film is the adaptation of that printed story. It's a tale of life in the war, a tale of love, betrayal, a tale of deceit and survival. Lucile is a young girl forced to live with her severe and controlling Mother-in-Law, played exceptionally well by Kristin Scott Thomas. When their village is occupied by the Germans they are forced to play host to a German Officer, but he is unlike the others. Lucile is a timid put upon girl who appears to meekly abide by what her Mother-in-Law decrees, but as the film gains momentum we see her true character assert itself. This is a tale of everyday people, trying to survive as the horror of war is raging around them. Very beautifully shot with a delicate soundtrack revolving around the piece of music written by the young German Officer. Once again you leave the cinema with the feeling of futility, and waste which come from watching stories about the war, but also in a peculiar way, I had the sense of having watched something very beautiful.

SUITE FRANCAISE comes with a 'genesis' story, of which we are reminded in the end credits. The Jewish author died in Auschwitz, having written the first two novels of a planned quintet in notebooks which were only rediscovered in 1998 and republished in 2004. This Anne Frank back story is more poignant than the romance in the book and the movie.

Matthias Schoenaerts is very believable as the Nazi with a soft centre, and Kristin Scott Thomas is splendid as the flinty mother-in-law, although her role somewhat runs out of steam. Michelle Williams' lead performance is a bit under-powered: maybe it needed an actress of Cate Blanchett's intensity to bring the character to life. Director Saul Dibb appears to be aiming for a Thomas Hardy tragic 'pastorale', but the end result has more the tone of a Mills & Boon novelette. And, at my local Odeon, it was a very grainy print.

I ended up feeling that I'd seen a heterosexual version of E.M. Forster's MAURICE: a bitter-sweet love-story with lots of period charm but not enough guts.

Reading the synopsis already gives the directions to the movie; not much of a surprise to me, to be fairly honest. The disposition of characters and their personalities are very well known in romantic fiction.

However, it is still a intriguing and beautiful movie. You can enjoy the marvelous landscapes of France and Belgium countrysides. Though predictable, the dynamic of the main couple is delicate and makes you cheer for them. It also shows the civilian point of view of war, far from the battle camps, but still a painfully one.

This movie gave me exactly what I wanted and expected. A forbidden and almost cheesy romance that's not your usual WWII movie.

"This German is our enemy. Do you understand? Yes. Madame."

Occasionally my lovely, sweet wife (yep, she regularly reads my reviews) gets the privilege to choose a movie. Usually this is accompanied by a blistering reproach that I always get it my way. I always think of her when choosing a movie and usually it's an acceptable one. She tends to forget that. I usually look those gore and scarier flicks in the middle of the night on my own, so I'm saved from a wife who awakes in a panic while planting her sharp nails into my shoulders. Hence I braced myself for a romantic war drama and expected it to be a wilted station novel. Ultimately, it wasn't so bad. The romantic rumble was limited and there was more attention for the mutual relations between the richer and poorer population in the village of Bussy and the vicissitudes of a fugitive, crippled farmer.

Besides, I must admit that I have a weak spot for WWII movies. I readily admit that those were the dark pages in the history of Europe, but those developments in these years were a fertile ground for a whole range of excellent war films. The fact that Matthias Schoenaerts also succeeded in getting the leading role here, was another reason for me to give this movie a chance. Let's say chauvinism raised its head and as a Belgian I'm proud to see how this fellow countryman has worked his way into the club of the better international actors (sorry Muscles from Brussels, but you just didn't get in that club) Surprisingly, I didn't suffer from aching jaws because of the complete absence of yawning. There's of course the forbidden love between Lucille (Michelle Williams), the daughter of the strict and cold landowner Madame Angellier (beautiful played by Kristin Scott Thomas) on the one hand and officer Bruno von Falk (Schoenaerts), a German officer who has been assigned a place to sleep at the manor of the latter two ladies, on the other. Eventually, this forbidden love remains slumbering a bit on the background and isn't imaged explicitly. But their like-minded love for music comes more to the fore. The additional story lines made it more interesting. The other arrogant German officer who sees himself as an Übermensch and treats the locals disrespectful, the callous mother in law who appears to be a resistance fighter in the making, the mayor and his wife (two genuine ass kissers) trying to get in good graces with the occupiers but face the consequences afterwards and the resistance of a peasant against the oppressors.

All this is beautifully illustrated and featured with the usual scenes of war (a nosedive of German fighter-bombers against innocent refugees is included of course), which makes it an interesting war drama. But afterwards I didn't think it was that innovative, so to speak. It's the superb performances which nevertheless left a deep impression. The clichéd plot twists are not shunned, and what remains is a conservative adaptation of a manuscript left by a real war victim, Irène Némirovsky.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

About the human side of war seen from both camps, the oppressor and the oppressed

Michele Williams is as normal quite mesmerising to watch, and an atmospheric performance from Schoenaerts.

What a strange feeling it must be to wake up one morning in familiar surroundings where nothing is familiar anymore… This film captures what it was like to live under occupation in France during the early months of the war. It is a captivating story about Lucille, a soft- hearted woman played by Michelle Phillips, whose husband is a prisoner of war. She lives with her severe, controlling mother-in-law, played by Kristin Scott Thomas. The two of them are in the middle of collecting rents from their tenants when the war suddenly comes to town. Over the next few months everything these people thought they knew about themselves and each other changes. German officers are billeted out to homes of villagers, some of whom vindictively write letters denouncing neighbours or accuse sympathizers of liaising with Germans. While Lucille discovers the truth about her husband she begins to fall in love with the sensitive German officer who lives under their roof, until the self-centred mayor's wife sets in motion a series of events that rips the town apart.

At the end of the film a synopsis about the author is given that is difficult to read -- this film is based on an unfinished manuscript by Irène Némirovsky, a Ukranian Jew who died in Auschwitz. The hand written pages were rediscovered by her daughter in the bottom of a suitcase and published in 2004.

This is a tale of everyday people trying to cope in their unrecognizable world. It is both heart wrenching and beautiful to watch. It is also one of the most authentic films I have ever seen of this era. Every aspect of this film's art direction, from costumes and hairstyles to sets and streetscapes captures occupied France in the summer of 1940 better than any film I have ever seen.

The story is almost unbelievable not because there couldn't be love stories between the Germans and French because there were at no surprise. But because it's hard to believe the much too obvious love affair could have been tolerated by the two enemy camps. Matthias S is devastating in his rendition as only him can be, I felt physically hurting the more the movie was going on towards its crushing end.. Michelle Williams is behind him, I can't figure out why it hasn't been cast a French actress,, say Berenice Bejo ( ok, she's not French :)) or someone else, dunno).

I didn't read the book but read a review, it seems the movie has got far from the book which I don't like. Or maybe we sould take it as a different story, one by itself and that's it.

Well done, Matthias S, always a pleasure to see you!

His eyes can express sorrow, longing, passion, and vulnerability at the same time. I understand he is a Nazi official, but the chemistry between Lucille and Bruno gives me butterfly in the stomach, and I become a hopeless romantic. The story development of French's independent movement and the ending ended in a little hurry, but overall every scene of the movie is written 'romance' all over because of color and lighting.

I am a 63 year old female so my tastes differ from those of the younger demographic. I enjoyed this movie, I think it follows the book fairly closely. Read the book a while ago, so I don't remember exactly. Michelle Williams was good considering she mostly had to stand around looking scared, great English accent. Kristin Scott was icy and imperious. Maybe a bit over the top.

Very authentic. Good costumes, sets, location.

Yes this movie had a soap opera feel, that was the type of story it told.

The tragic thing is that the author Irene Nemirovsky was betrayed by her countrymen to the Nazis and died in a German concentration camp. Her daughter found the manuscript in her belongings many decades later. So the novel was written during the time of the Second World War, it's more authentic than novels written decades after.

Suite Francaise poses a big dilemma during German-occupied France in WWII: not all Allied forces are good, and not all Nazis are sinners. For example, Matthias Schoenaerts' soldier Bruno is admiral, calm and polite, especially towards village girl Lucile (Michelle Williams), with whom he's staying with. Their feelings for each other grow, much to blah's disgust. Schoenaerts and Williams are on fine form, especially the former of the two. Lucile is a little too callous and hostile, but not as much as Kristen Scott Thomas, who plays unlikeable too well. Schoenaerts I weirdly felt is the one to route for. Suite Francaise is more village drama than history lesson. It's a love story without much heart, a bit of history and a rocking cast.

The idyllic countryside of France turns into nightmare as it becomes occupied by German army during the World War 2. Crowds of refugees flee the capital of Paris and find a shelter in small town named Bussy, where this romantic drama takes place. German army resides there too, soldiers and officers are divided into the households. And bonds are being created between enemies, f.e. when a young married French woman finds … something like a soul-mate in German officer living in her villa. Sadly, no dramatic war background can save a movie with shallow and bad screenplay. And it was for me, what happened in this movie. I knew nothing about it before seeing it and I was really surprised, when I found out it is based on the book. Whole time while watching I was thinking... yes, someone had a nice idea about a movie. War movie, from the point of view of rich civilian, not being exactly in the middle of the war. Fear of bombarding was believable and whole situation kind of interesting. But then it started to swim out – lack of any plan. Like someone did not know how to fill the main plot with actual dialogs. Everything felt just shallow and that applied to the majority of the motives, even if they had potential, they were somehow put without any depth, being it motive of class differences (rich/poor) or loneliness in the middle of war time. Vast majority of the characters were just unbelievable, starting with the main male protagonist of German lieutenant. Only exception for me was the „evil" mother-in-law (Kristin Scott Thomas).

Full feeling of the movie: It's a good movie if you are in complicated Romance movies. it properly shows how people find feelings in war even if those people are an opposing force. That said there is a movie which I feel shares similar points although being different in many ways including country of setting, people and their relations. As this is my first review I do not know if this is allowed but will give it a shot. I feel this movie is very close related to Captain Corelli's Mandolin with Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz. But there are still many differences in the movie. And the similarities are only in the few settings of the movie. It is worth the watch. About the reaction of the story: I drawn to the story from the first 10 minutes. Although I felt the male protagonist had a bit of a unimpressive introduction. as I entered the final scene of the film I looked at running time and saw it was almost done. The story is put well together and interesting that you will want for more.

Final sentence: Its very well worth your time to watch this movie

This is a truly beautiful, remarkable film, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a war drama as well as a love story. The love story felt very natural (and very possible) and I rooted for both characters, being from completely different backgrounds. It's really sad and unfortunate that war and nationality divided people (and still does). Love is an unstoppable feeling from deep inside and this film portrays it so well.

Kristin Scott Thomas steals the show with her brilliant acting! The entire cast was very good, and I loved the photography and cinematography as well. I couldn't help but wonder how many times the scenario depicted in the film played off in real life...