
Le radeau de la Méduse
Drama · History
Overview
Iranian Iradj Azimi directed this French historical drama re-creating events depicted in the famous 1819 painting The Raft of the Medusa by Jean Louis Andre Theodore Gericault (1791-1824). The ill-fated voyage of the frigate Medusa begins when it departs Rochefort for Senegal in 1816. After striking a sandbar off the African coast, 150 civilians row safely to shore, but Captain Chaumareys (Jean Yanne) orders 140 soldiers and sailors onto a raft (minus supplies) and has it cut loose. Only 14 survive from the 140, creating a scandal back in France. Gericault (Laurent Terzieff) later talks to three of the survivors while researching his painting. Work on this film began in 1987, but sets destroyed by Hurricane Hugo caused delays, so the film was not completed until 1990. However, it then remained undistributed until an incident in which writer-director Azimi slashed his wrists in front of French Ministry of Culture officials.
Top Cast


Jean Yanne
Jean Yanne
Chaumareys
Jean Yanne
Chaumareys


Daniel Mesguich
Daniel Mesguich
Coudein
Daniel Mesguich
Coudein


Claude Jade
Claude Jade
Reine Schmaltz
Claude Jade
Reine Schmaltz


Philippe Laudenbach
Philippe Laudenbach
Julien Schmaltz
Philippe Laudenbach
Julien Schmaltz
Alain Macé
Alain Macé
Coudein
Alain Macé
Coudein


Rufus
Rufus
Harmonica
Rufus
Harmonica


Victor Garrivier
Victor Garrivier
Richefort
Victor Garrivier
Richefort


Michel Baumann
Michel Baumann
Maître d'équipage
Michel Baumann
Maître d'équipage


Laurent Terzieff
Laurent Terzieff
Théodore Géricault
Laurent Terzieff
Théodore Géricault


Jean Desailly
Jean Desailly
La Tullaye
Jean Desailly
La Tullaye
Similar Movies

France, 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIII. When a dear friend, the Duke of Nevers, is treacherously assassinated by a powerful relative, a skilled swordsman, the noble Henri de Lagardère, seeks his rightful vengeance as he tries to protect the innocent life of the duke's last heir.

A biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte, tracing the Corsican's career from his schooldays (where a snowball fight is staged like a military campaign) to his flight from Corsica, through the French Revolution (where a real storm is intercut with a political storm) and the Terror, culminating in his triumphant invasion of Italy in 1797.

In 1880, the criminal called The Wolf is responsible for a murderous rampage in France. When the Brisson Bank is robbed in Paris and the employee Michelle is murdered, the wealthy Chevalier Lucio del Gardo is the only chance to save the bank. Chevalier proposes to the owner M. de Brisson to deposit a large amount of gold, but in return he would like to marry his daughter Cecile. However, Cecile is in love with the efficient clerk Lucien Cortier that belongs to the lower classes and refuses the engagement. In order to get rid off the rival, Chevalier uses evidences to incriminate Lucien, manipulating the incompetent Parisian chief of police.




















