| Directer: | Alain Resnais |
| Starring: | Ruggeri Raimondi, Vittorio Gassman |
| Countries: | France |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Year: | 1983 |
| Type: | Color |
| Language: | French w/English subt. |
| Length: | 110 mins. |
| Aspect Ratio: | 1.66:1 |
Synopsis
“Life Is a Bed of Roses affirms the serendipity of life and the fluidity of the human imagination.” - Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE
Alain Resnais pays tribute to three influential French filmmakers — Georges Melies, Marcel L’Herbier and Eric Rohmer — with this lighthearted film about happiness and the power of the imagination. Life Is a Bed of Roses is divided into three parallel narratives. The first section is set around the first decade of the twentieth century in the Ardennes, where Count Forbeck (Ruggero Raimondi) unveils his architect’s designs for a utopian city. In a modern day mirroring of this story, a group of professors now inhabiting Forbeck’s castle seek a new form of education through the use of the imagination, under the guidance of a guru named Guarini (Vittorio Gassman — Big Deal on Madonna Street, Sharky’s Machine). The third segment depicts a Wagnerian fantasy landscape of kings and dragons, which arises from the imagination of the children of some of the professors at the school.
With ingenuity and great craftsmanship, Resnais weaves together these three threads to make Life Is a Bed of Roses a compelling and entertaining mixture of drama, satire, comedy, fantasy and music.
starring VITTORIO GASSMAN, RUGGERI RAIMONDI,
GERALDINE CHAPLIN, FANNY ARDANT, SABINE AZEMA
and PIERRE ARDITI
directed by ALAIN RESNAIS screenplay by JEAN GRUAULT
produced by PHILIPPE DUSSART music by PHILIPPE GERARD
edited by ALBERT JURGENSON and JEAN-PIERRE BESNARD
costumes by CATHERINE LETERRIER and ENKI BILAL
production design by JACQUES SAULNIER and ENKI BILAL
cinematography by BRUNO NUYTTEN
1983 France 110 min. Color
Original aspect ratio (1.66:1) Enhanced for 16x9 TVs
In French with optional English subtitles
Critical Acclaim
“Life Is a Bed of Roses exists on three levels, each of a deliberate - and at times quite delightful - eccentricity.” – Janet Maslin, THE NEW YORK TIMES
“Life Is a Bed of Roses affirms the serendipity of life and the fluidity of the human imagination.” - Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE
Alain Resnais pays tribute to three influential French filmmakers — Georges Melies, Marcel L’Herbier and Eric Rohmer — with this lighthearted film about
Extras on DVD
* Original Theatrical Trailer
* “Resnais est un Roman,” a documentary film on the making of Life Is a Bed of Roses
