The Dutch Indies, 1913. Since the mysterious death of his
associate, Axel Heyst has lived alone with his sole servant Wang on the
island of Samburn. From time to time, he travels to the Java port
of Sourabaya. It is here that he meets Alma, a young musician who
is being held prisoner by a couple who intend to sell her to Schomberg,
the owner of a hotel...
Script: Joseph Conrad (novel),
Mark Peploe,
Frederick Seidel
Cinematographer: Bruno de Keyzer
Music: Richard Hartley
Cast: Willem Dafoe (Axel Heyst),
Sam Neill (Mr. Jones),
Irène Jacob (Alma),
Rufus Sewell (Martin Ricardo),
Jean Yanne (Mr. Schomberg),
Ho Yi (Wang),
Bill Paterson (Capt. Davidson),
Irm Hermann (Mrs. Schomberg),
Graziano Marcelli (Pedro),
Hansi Jochmann (Mrs. Zangiacomo),
Simon Callow (Zangiacomo),
Michael Lee (Chinese Gentleman),
Leonard Maguire (Old Trader McNab),
Didi Saad (Wang's Wife),
Topan Setiadji (Young Chinese Houseboy),
Patrick Field (Wounded Gambler),
Jack Galloway (First Billiard Player),
Edward Kelsey (Second Billiard Player),
Joseph Sumner (Disgruntled Gambler),
Joe Lacey (Alma's father)
Country: UK / France / Germany
Language: English
Support: Color
Runtime: 99 min
French cinema during the Nazi Occupation
Even in the dark days of the Occupation, French cinema continued to impress with its artistry and diversity.
A wave of fresh talent in the late 1950s, early 1960s brought about a dramatic renaissance in French cinema, placing the auteur at the core of France's 7th art.
From Jean Renoir to François Truffaut, French cinema has no shortage of truly great filmmakers, each bringing a unique approach to the art of filmmaking.
With so many great films to choose from, it's nigh on impossible to compile a short-list of the best 15 French films of all time - but here's our feeble attempt to do just that.