Bel Ami (15)

Vapid is as vapid does. Many will be able to relate to the emptiness of inauthentic liaisons grounded in using people to get what you think you want. Poverty of spirit is epitomized in the young man's loveless marriage to escape poverty. This story is a romantic tragedy.

Robert Pattinson is an outstanding actor

As a french boy even though I really like the actor in Twilight I think he sucks in here. Very bad acting, specially because in the book you understand George since everything happens from his perspective but in the movie there is no way the viewer can guess how the main character is feeling specially with the bad acting RP showed in this movie. Overall I thought it was the worst movie I have seen in ten years.

Pablo, you may say that the Battle of Algiers (1957) comes almost seventy years after the setting of Bel Ami, but not, surely, "almost a century later"

A good-looking film - I loved the costume and settings - but as a story very disappointing. I was left wondering what possessed the women to fall into bed with Duroy. In the book Duroy is animalistic in that he responds to situations, and as Mme Forestier shrewdly remarks, sex is to him an appetite. The book is entirely from his perspective, and I wonder if it can work as a film without trying to give Duroy an agenda, as some have done, or leaving him blank as this film does. As for the pruning of the plot - the book is a lot more than a bodice-ripper, and on this level too the film disappoints. Put those two problems together and you have a bodice-ripper with a hero who does not look as if he would have anything the women would want enough – just not believable. Verdict: vastly better than the black and white version – but catch the recent French TV version for something really interesting (a believable Duroy, even if one with a different character from that of the original).

Satisfying overall, with special mention to the brilliant original music score and the magnificent costume disign.

France in the Maghreb is a topic where there must be as many stories as Britain in India. One of cinemas iconic scenes is where the Marseillaise is sung loudly and proudly in Casablanca when the Nazis are in the cafe. The Nazis and Rick are all "guests" of the Vichy regime in Casablanca where Rick and Inspector Renault have one of cinemas greatest male relationships.

Indeed Ian. It is worth mentionning that the Battle of Algiers is at the other end (almost a century later) of the time frame which starts with Bel Ami.

Alistair & anyone else who wants to learn more about France in North Africa could do worse than see Gillo Pontecorvo's film the Battle of Algiers.

I thought this was a great film, all performances were excellent, and it made me want to read the book to understand the nuances, and to know more of the history of french exploitation of africa.