The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Venice Film Festival 2014

The Price of Fame

Venice Film Festival 2014: The Price of Fame | Review
31 August 2014
Filippo L'Astorina
Avatar
Filippo L'Astorina
31 August 2014

It may sound unbelievable to those who don’t know the story, but back in the 70s two desperate men stole the coffin of Charlie Chaplin in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, intending to ransom it.

Eddy Ricaart (Benoit Poelvoorde) and Osman Bricha (Roschdy Zem) are long-time friends who haven’t seen each other since Eddy went to prison. Osman’s wife is in hospital, living the anguish of not being able to afford the necessary treatment to survive.

What sounded like a crazy idea to allow them to escape their squalid conditions (sharing a shed and a caravan with Osman’s little daughter) becomes their actual get-out plan: one night, they go to Vevey’s cemetery and steal Chaplin’s coffin.

Eddy is a crook, Osman is a working-class immigrant. Neither is professional enough to deal with this situation and the police capture them with ease.

The life of “The Tramp” was a never-ending performance – everything was staged and studied to impress: his appearance, his lifestyle and even his house. Funnily enough, his death also appeared to be staged thanks to these two men, and Chaplin’s family decided not to press charges, even paying for treatment for Osman’s wife.

Xavier Beauvois’ movie is based on actual facts, with very limited dramatisation. The village is the actual village, the graveyard is where he is buried and the house was his actual home.

The film is a tribute to one of the most groundbreaking and communicative artists of the past century; although the star is famous for silent movies, The Price of Fame features a very strong and present soundtrack, to which images sometimes seem ancillary.

French directors are masters at finding the perfect balance between drama and comedy in cinema, and this work is no exception.

★★★★★

Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor

The UK release date for The Price of Fame is yet to be announced.

Read more reviews from Venice Film Festival 2014 here.

For further information about Venice Film Festival 2014 visit here.

Related Itemscharlie chaplingrave robbersreviewsilent filmxavier beauvois

More in Venice Film Festival 2014

Venice Film Festival 2014: Interview with Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher for Hungry Hearts

Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Venice Film Festival 2014: Interviews with Ethan Hawke and Andrew Niccol for Good Kill

Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Good Kill

★★★★★
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Burying the Ex

★★★★★
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

She’s Funny That Way

★★★★★
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Venice Film Festival 2014: Interview with 3 Hearts director Benoit Jacquot

The editorial unit
Read More

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

★★★★★
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Venice Film Festival 2014: Cymbeline

★★★★★
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

Venice Film Festival 2014: Interview with the cast and producer of Reality

Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • You Me at Six – Suckapunch
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Persian Lessons
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Unlimited Festival at the Southbank Centre: Centre stage for diversity
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • RSC Next Generation: Young Bloods proves Shakespeare is timeless
    Theatre
  • The White Tiger
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • Persian Lessons: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Venice Film Festival 2014: The Boxtrolls | Review
Venice Film Festival 2014: Reality | Review