Tous les Matins du Monde

Background

In the same year as the book's release, Pascal Quignard, together with director Alain Corneau, adapted the novel for the film that starred Jean-Pierre Marielle, Gérard Depardieu, Anne Brochet and Guillaume Depardieu. The film is currently distributed by Koch-Lorber Films.

The film revolves around the late-17th/early-18th-century composer Marin Marais's life as a musician, his mentor Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe and Sainte-Colombe's daughters. The ageing Marais, played by Gérard Depardieu, narrates the story, while Depardieu's son Guillaume Depardieu plays the young Marais. The haunting sound of his instrument, the viol (viola da gamba), here played by Jordi Savall, is heard throughout the film and plays a major role in setting the mood. Though fictional, the story is based on historical characters, and what little is known about their lives is generally accurately portrayed.

The film credits the scenes set in the salon of Louis XV as having been filmed in the Golden Gallery (Galerie dorée) of the Banque de France.

Described as a "crossover movie" with the music integrated into the story-line, Derek Malcolm saw Marielle's performance as "matching the music note for note".

Synopsis

Ageing court composer Marin Marais (Gérard Depardieu) recalls his former master and unequalled viol player, the Jansenist, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. After the death of his wife, Sainte-Colombe buries himself in his music, bringing up his two daughters on his own, teaching them to be musicians, and playing in a consort with them for local noble audiences. His reputation reaches the court of Louis XIV and the king sends an envoy, Caignet, to request him to play at court. Sainte-Colombe curtly dismisses the envoy, as well as the Abbé Mathieu, and shuts himself away in a cabin in his garden in order to perfect the art of viol playing. Offended, the King ensures that very few attend concerts by Sainte-Colombe and his daughters.

Some years later, 17-year-old Marin Marais visits Saint-Colombe, seeking to learn from the master. After a short time, Saint-Colombe sees no musical merit in the young man and sends him away, refusing to teach him. Madeleine, the elder daughter, is saddened as she has fallen in love with Marais. She teaches him what her father has taught her and allows him to listen in secret to her father playing. During this time, Marais is hired to be a court musician.

Marais and Madeleine begin a relationship. Marais decides to leave Madeleine, but she is found to be pregnant. However, the child is still-born and she falls gravely ill. Marais abandons her and she loses the will to live. Sainte-Colombe calls Marais to his house where the ailing Madeleine asks to hear her former lover play a piece he wrote for her: "La rêveuse" or "The Dreaming Girl." After Marais leaves, Madeleine puts an end to her misery and hangs herself.

Many years later, the old Marais faces up to his faults and vanity, while Sainte-Colombe recognises finally his musicianship.

Cast

Music

As listed in the film's credits, the music heard includes the following:

Apart from Savall, the musicians are Monserrat Figueras and Mari-Cristina Kiehr (sopranos), Christophe Coin and Jérôme Hantaï (viola da gamba), Rolf Lislevand (theorbo) and Pierre Hantaï (harpsichord and organ).

Awards and nominations