The Horseman on the Roof

A young Piedmontese officer tries to escape the Austrian secret police. Crossing the border into France, he has two simple ambitions : to escape his pursuers and to reach a town where Italian dissidents have created a small community. Unfortunately, he arrives straight into a cholera epidemic of catastrophic proportions. His ever more chaotic travels and escapes bring him into contact with a large variety of people : the kind, the treacherous, the greedy, the passive, the silly, the brave. His travels will take on the nature of an initiation into the mysteries of love, horror and death... "Le hussard" offers romance and adventure in the grand manner, set against the background of a general catastrophe. Our protagonist (who is handsome, dashing, gallant and - at times - thunderingly stupid) grows to full manhood by observing and confronting the extremes of goodness and evil of which the human race is capable. The movie must have been made with a giant budget, since the sets, locations and costumes are out of this world. At the risk of sounding like a press release : this is truly a sweeping, immersive epic. I've never read the book on which the movie is based, but if I were to make a guess I would suppose that the author, Jean Giono, witnessed a great deal of sorrow and injustice in his own life. Many of the scenes have a disquieting ring of truth about them, such as the scene where the protagonist, an innocent man, tries to drink from a water fountain and is accused of being a poisoner and sorcerer. What follows is a near-lynching where screaming villagers, made crazy by ignorance and fear, accuse him of every crime and turpitude under the sun. As one of the characters states, correctly : the cholera may be a terrible disease, but what the name causes in the human breast, that's where the real horror lies... Very striking : the recurring motif of the black carrion birds such as crows and ravens. One understands where expressions such as "a murder of crows" came from...

This lavish spectacle includes panoramic mountain views, stunningly beautiful Juliette Binoche, studly handsome Olivier Martinez, energetic sword fights, dashing horses, touching love, feeble attempts of cholera control, aristocratic restraint, flawless acting, and even decent subtitles... ...Now really, what else could one want in a film?!! This is a terrific film, with a refreshing French style (not the usual Hollywood format). Nearly all the IMDB comments below are positive, and this film won (or was nominated for) several awards. Unless you are averse to non-English films, I suggest you run down and rent this video now. It is a gem.

I found the film historically poignant in reference to the period of history when the plague ravaged Europe. You feel what people must have felt during that era. The romance was sensitive and based on harsh realities of the epoch in question. This was in my mind, different and refreshing. I recommend this movie to the student of history as well as those who would study love and how love grows in a relationship. I felt the actors were a good pick and stood up well to the task at hand. A great example of some of the recent French films that have come on the scene lately.

In 1832, a frightened France has a serious epidemic of Asiatic cholera, which is killing the population specially in the country, and Italy is invaded and dominated by Austria. In this scenery, Angelo (Oliver Martinez) is a 25 years old refined Italian colonel from a wealthy family exiled in France. He is trying to gather his exiled compatriots and return to Milan to organize the Italian resistance against Austria. Angelo is welcomed by the French noble Pauline (Julliete Binoche) in her house in a difficult moment for him, and Pauline travels together with Angelo, trying to find her missing husband in a chaotic country. Along their journey, Angelo becomes her protector, and they fall in love for each other. "Le Hussard Sur le Toit" is a delightful adventure and a sensitive romance. The story is beautiful and the platonic love and the chemistry between Angelo and Pauline are wonderful. An excellent movie, with a beautiful reconstitution of a dark period of French history and highly recommended for any audience. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): "O Cavaleiro do Telhado e a Dama das Sombras" ("The Knight of the Roof and the Lady of the Shadows")

"Horseman on the Roof" is a stylish and romanticized saga of a chivalrous Italian freedom fighter's odyssey with a French gentry wife amid a 19th century southern European cholera epidemic. Though this restrained love story and adventure film deserves high marks on all levels, rich, lush scenic beauty and award winning cinematography are its hallmark.

The Horseman on the Roof is one of those rare movies that has everything going for it; breathtaking scenery, fascinating story told in literary style with great attention to detail, stunning main characters with exceptional chemistry and screen presence, and an epic presentation of a great adventure. The central motivation of our young colonel is chivalry and that is so refreshing. Amazing!

Having begun like most directors with small subjects Jean-Paul Rappeneau seems to have acquired a penchant for the crowded canvas given that his last three films - including this one - comprise Cyrano de Bergerac and Bon Voyage. My knowledge of the period - 1830s - is skimpy to say the least so I have no basis for questioning the authenticity or otherwise of the storyline involving both Italian patriots hiding in France and an outbreak of cholera in the Provence region but this is really academic because authentic or not it provides both a dramatic and colourful backdrop to a well-told story in which for once the Romantic element is understated. Olivier Martinez is sufficiently athletic to carry out lots of Errol Flynn-like engagements with a dozen assailants at once and come off incredibly best but he is woefully lacking in Flynn's abundant charm/charisma so it's just as well that leading lady Juliette Binoche has enough for both. Not least of its assets is the support, never more than ten or fifteen minutes in each case, from some of the finest actors in France from Isabelle Huppert to Jean Yanne to Francois Cluzot to Pierre Arditi. A fine film from a fine director.

Another excellent job by Juliette Binoche. Set in early 19th century France. An Italian patriot, Olivier Martinez, fled into Aix-en-Provence, France. He is befriended by the Marquess De Theus (Binoche) while trying to get back to Italy during cholera epidemic. Together they make their way across southern France. Excellent story supported by magnificent scenery and superb acting.

Italian patriot Colonel Angelo Pardi is fleeing his country in 1832. He enters the cholera ridden French Provence. There he meets Pauline who is lovelessly married to rich Marquis de Théus. Together they will look for him. The road movie starts pretty slow and chaotic. More often than once I was confused about what was going on. A lot of swashbuckling, dead people, crows and crows again, some chases. There seemed to be no real plot or focus. Then after about one hour suddenly it got better and delivered what I was expecting. The romance between Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez gained momentum and the story got some direction. The ending was a bit melodramatic and lacked credibility but I won't ask for too much. Both lead actors did a good job. Cinematography was good and benefited from the setup in France's beautiful landscape. There was an improvement to be seen after a rather bad start. 6 / 10

Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez look great, and they throw themselves enthusiastically into their roles. They do have a certain chemistry together, but the film devotes much more attention to the effects of the French cholera epidemic in 1832 on the countryside. The plot that kicks off the story rather dramatically is that of the assassination plots against Italian nationalists by Austrians who'd like to take over northern Italy. The end of the movie, however, reveals the true focus of the story. I wish that the majority of the movie was devoted to that story.