Ludivine Sagnier

A Secret
$27.99
'A Secret' is a multi-layered movie that deals with myriad themes. The central character is Francois Grimbert who has always had a rather distant relationship with his father Maxime [Patrick Bruel]. As a young boy, Francois is not keen on sports and appears rather frail [he was a four lb baby] and very unlike his athletic father and swim champion mother Tania [Cecile de france]. His young mind conjures a phantom brother that is very athletic and strong, driving his parents to distraction. When Francois discovers a toy in the family attic, secrets long hidden begin to unravel, thanks mostly to a long-time family friend, Louise [Julie Depardieu] who reveals all that she knows.

Told via a series of flashbacks, the story unfolds. Ironically, the flashbacks to the past are portrayed in color, and the present [where the now mature Francois goes to meet his old dad] is in black and white. This is ideal as in this story, the past is of the most significance. As the 15-year-old Francois learns, his 'imaginary' brother of childhood was very much real, and was called Simon, much beloved by his father Maxime, and his mother Hannah [Maxime's first wife]. As the story progresses, we learn of a complex love triangle, involving Maxime, Hannah, and Tania. Maxime first sets eyes on the gorgeous, blonde Tania at his wedding to Hannah. At the time, Tania is married to Hannah's brother, but when the Nazis begin expanding their power across Europe, Tania's husband becomes a prisoner of war and this brings Tania closer to Maxime and his family, which now includes the young Simon. As the Nazis occupy France, Maxime refuses to wear the yellow star, turning his back on his Jewish identity, much to the chagrin of Hannah, who is proud of her heritage. Hannah also slowly realizes to her horror that Maxime desires Tania, and this realization later plays a tragic role in shaping the ultimate destiny of Hannah and Simon.

The plot here may come across as incredibly convoluted, yet despite the many layerings to the story, conveyed by the frequent flashbacks, the plot flows well, almost seamless, and I could easily follow the stories of the main characters.

This is a riveting human drama that not only portrays the complexities of love and relationships, but also shows how the French Jews, as portrayed by Maxime, his family and close friends were affected by the Nazi occupation of France, and how the French government basically turned its back on its Jewish citizens. Final verdict: a well-made Holocaust-themed human drama.

LUDIVINE SAGNIER 16X20 COLOR PHOTO
$19.99
Ludivine Sagnier: At Moviestore we have an incredible library of celebrity photography covering movies, TV, music, sport and celebrity. Our exclusive photographs are professionally produced by our in-house team; we perfect bright vibrant colors or wonderful black and white tones for our photographic prints that you can display in your home or office with pride. All our images are produced from genuine original negatives and slides held in our vast library. We have been in business for 16 years so you can buy with confidence. Our guarantee: if you are not fully satisfied with any print from Moviestore we will gladly refund your money!

Je n'aime que toi
$0.99

Love Songs
$24.95
Great movie/musical-only the French can get away with a storyline like this!
I bought the CD too, and am very happy with it.
All the actors have amazing voices and the music is catchy and tres' bien!