Danton is a 1983 french language film depicting the last weeks of georges danton, one of the leaders of the french revolution. The film tells upon the title role, danton gerard depardieu, confronting robespierre wojciech pszoniak during french revolution. Like saturn, the revolution is devouring its childrenthe fury of the revolution unleashed obliterated its ideals. Danton 17591794 as lawyer participated in overthrowing of king louis xvi and the proclamation of the republic, being minister of justice in the convention 1792and founder of cordeliers club. The recommendation service has sorted out realistic, serious, captivating, stylized, talky and humorous films and tv shows about with french revolution, revolution, society, guillotine, state affairs, death, love and romance, rebellion, politics and blood plots mostly in drama, history and. Georges danton french revolutionary leader britannica.
Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from. The list contains the best, new and most relevant french revolution movies ordered by relevance. He was one of the leaders in the french revolution. Danton is a film directed by andrzej wajda with gerard depardieu, wojciech pszoniak, anne alvaro, roland blanche, year. The film narrates a true story of the life of georges danton.
Danton 1983 andrzej wajda synopsis, characteristics. Robespierre met his own fate only a few months later, when the political tide turned against him. Meticulous and fiery, danton has been hailed as one of the greatest films ever made about the terror. The film stars gerard depardieu in the title role, with wojciech pszoniak as maximilien. It is an adaptation of the play the danton case by stanislawa przybyszewska. Danton has long been a staple of literature, he has featured in as many novels, poems and plays as robespierre himself, and the reason for this could be that he is one of the few figures of the french revolution who fulfill both the aesthetic, and especially romantic, ideal of the passionate revolutionary, the crusader for the people, and a. Favoring the system of a republic for the future of france, danton thought violence a necessary tool for achieving radical changes. Directed by andrzej wajda 1983 france starring gerard depardieu, wojciech pszoniak gerard depardieu and wojciech pszoniak star in andrzej wajdas powerful, intimate depiction of the ideological clash between the earthy, manofthepeople georges danton and icy jacobin extremist maximilien ro. This film shows the last part of the french revolution and the last days of danton s life. Gerard depardieu and wojciech pszoniak star in andrzej wajdas powerful, intimate depiction of the ideological clash between the earthy, manofthepeople georges danton and icy jacobin extremist maximilien robespierre, both key figures of the french revolution.
The film maintains the chamberpiece characteristic of french revolution by playing out danton in numerous confrontations with robespierre. Jeanclaude carriere scenario, stanislawa przybyszewska based on the play by. Jan 19, 1983 when president francois mitterrand of france saw danton, a new film about the french revolution by the distinguished polish director andrzej wajda, he left before the titles were finished to. Georges danton 17591794 was a revolutionary, politician and orator one of the towering figures of the french revolution. Danton is a thriller about the french revolution, full of cutting dialogue and overheated action.
Sep 17, 2017 directed by andrej wajda, the 1983 historical film danton profiles the fiery revolutionary georges danton gerard depardieu, a bombastic, selfproclaimed manofthepeople, who was also one of the leading figures in the early stages of the french revolution. Wajda had seen the postwar dream of political transformation in his native poland turn to ashes. However, the largest role was that of robespierre, which went to polish actor wojciech pszoniak. The film danton is about a revolutionary who objects to the course his revolution, the french revolution, has taken. Danton is the romantic noble man of the people representing something of polish solidarity. Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his. Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat upon learning that the committee for public safety, under robespierres incitement, has begun a series of. Sep 28, 1983 whether or not these associations hold true are beside the point of the film. The celebrated polish filmmaker, andrzej wajda directs. As the revolution progressed, so did danton s revolutionary ideals evolve. The film is based on the reallife story of georges danton 17591794, who played an important role in the revolution and who was. When president francois mitterrand of france saw danton, a new film about the french revolution by the distinguished polish director andrzej wajda, he left before the titles were finished to. The film is based on the reallife story of georges danton 17591794, who played an important role in the revolution and who was guillotined by the state, along with many former heroes of the revolution, during robespierres insane purge of the 1790s. He later became the first president of the committee of public safety, but his increasing.
This french film from a polish director explores a famous friendship soured by politics and corruption. Danton takes as its subject the conflict between two flawed leaders. By drawing parallels to polish solidarity, a movement that was being quashed by the government as the film went. Wajdas film on danton angers the french left the new york. Whether viewed as a dramatic tale about the french revolution or as a larger political parable, danton is a richly suggestive film about power, revolution, liberty and bureaucracy. Danton finds itself comfortable at those two extremes and leaves the parts in the middle the facts, the issues, the minor personalities to the historians. Danton, a francopolish coproduction, was directed in france by mr. The two poles of the french revolution were the passionate idealism of the republic and the utter finality of the guillotine.
In august of the same year, he helped to lead a coup that overthrew the paris commune and replaced it with a more radical city government. A recreation of the time period of french growing pains with freedom and independence. Whether or not these associations hold true are beside the point of the film. Polish director andrzej wajda, the most celebrated east european moviemaker, says his new film, danton, is not an analogy for polands military crackdown. The french revolution as mirror of the past and the present. This film is an international production effort between film companies in france, poland, and west. These political developments clearly had a profound impact on wajda, to the extent that his film danton says as much about the power struggles in contemporary poland as it does about the french revolution. The movie is basically about the conflict between two of the most striking personalities of the period, the two revolutionary leaders danton and robespierre, who were on the same side at the beginning but came to have fundamental philosophical differences that only the guillotine could settle. Dantons and robespierre s quarrels were turned into a 1983 film danton directed by andrzej wajda. Andrzej wajda, the great polish director, has turned to history for his latest film. Jul 14, 2011 the one film that really confronts the drama of the 1790s without avoiding the details or focusing too much on the bejeweled ancien regime is andrzej wajdas 1983 masterwork, danton. In 1793, as the terror begins in france, georges danton, a champion. The film highlights the political struggles that took place as idealists tried to forge the state. The film is no traditional biopic, however, instead solely depicting danton.
This makes the scenes of the film dramatic and easy to understand such that a viewer who has no knowledge of what happened during the french revolution finds the film informative. Formed by the convention in april 1793 to deal with threats within and outside of france. Wajdas danton, inside the french revolution the new york. Danton is the first french language film by polish filmmaker andrzej wajda, directing, in the wake of recent tragic events in his homeland, a historical film about the french revolution. As a member of the constituent assembly and the jacobin club, he campaigned for universal manhood suffrage and the. Georges danton, in full georgesjacques danton, born october 26, 1759, arcissuraube, francedied april 5, 1794, paris, french revolutionary leader and orator, often credited as the chief force in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the first french republic september 21, 1792. Laffaire dantonsprawa dantona, andrzej wajda in collaboration with, agnieszka holland in collaboration with, boleslaw michalek in collaboration with, jacek gasiorowski in collaboration with actors. This movie is set five years later and the revolution has morphed into something ugly. Danton is a french language film that follows the last months of georges danton. A talented lawyer and spellbinding orator, danton contributed to the formation of the revolutionary tribunals and, in early 1794, fell victim to them. Wajda directs his camera toward the social upheaval and political treachery of the french revolution, and by doing so, draws an obvious allegory to the political situation in his native poland in the. This film was adapted from a play in poland called the danton case. Danton 1982 the great polish director andrzej wajda had long wanted to turn the danton affair into a movie before finally doing so in 1983 with his film danton.
Georges danton 17591794 one of the leading figures in the beginning of the french revolution and the first president of the committee of public safety. Danton was a hero and one of the founders of the french revolution of 1789. Danton was one of the leadindg lights of this revolution and his execution was near the end of it. It had been intended as a collaboration between a largely polish cast and a french production company, gaumont, which, because of the sovietled coup in 1981, was. A nice costumed historical study of the french revolution that plays too fast and loose with history for the means of contemporary propaganda. One of the biggest surprises ive had this year was with danton, andrzej wajdas historical film on the french revolution. Danton can be compared with trotsky and lech walesa and is a symbol of western liberalism. By drawing parallels to polish solidarity, a movement that was being quashed by the government as the film went into. Danton brilliantly illuminates one of the most fascinating periods of the french revolution those early months. Time was when the french revolution was considered a good. This movie is set five years later and the revolution has morphed into something.
With gerard depardieu, wojciech pszoniak, anne alvaro, roland blanche. This film shows the last part of the french revolution and the last days of. The film stars gerard depardieu in the title role, with wojciech pszoniak as maximilien robespierre, and patrice chereau as camille desmoulins. Wajdas danton, inside the french revolution the new.
The french revolution in the eyes of andrzej wajda. Press cc box in screen to activate english subtitles. May 04, 2011 danton has long been a staple of literature, he has featured in as many novels, poems and plays as robespierre himself, and the reason for this could be that he is one of the few figures of the french revolution who fulfill both the aesthetic, and especially romantic, ideal of the passionate revolutionary, the crusader for the people, and a. It starred imposing, charismatic french actor gerard depardieu in the title role. It had been intended as a collaboration between a largely polish cast and a french production company, gaumont, which, because of the sovietled coup in 1981, was forced to move its entire base of operations back to paris. Wajda has directed pszoniak in seven films altogether. This film shows the last part of the french revolution and the last days of dantons life. Apr 01, 2020 georges danton, in full georgesjacques danton, born october 26, 1759, arcissuraube, francedied april 5, 1794, paris, french revolutionary leader and orator, often credited as the chief force in the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the first french republic september 21, 1792. It is an adaptation of stanislawa przybyszewskas play, the danton case, completed in 1929. The 1983 film danton actually came out of a project originating in the polish solidarity movement.
However the filmaker took a lot of liberities with history. Action opens in november of 1793, with danton returning to paris from his country retreat upon learning that the committee for public safety. In one hand, i wasnt expecting the film to be this exceptionally crafted, but on the other, it was a huge surprise that so few people have actually seen this picture. Wajda from a screenplay by jeanclaude carriere, based on a stage play by stanislawa przybyszewska.
The film is based on real deeds, they are the following. In 1982, legendary polish filmmaker andrzej wajda fled his homeland and relocated in france to direct this powerful story about the ethical boundaries of power and leadership, which had many parallels to polands volatile political situation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Danton ends with robespierres son demonstrating his memorization of the revolution s idealistic rights of man speech. Georges danton 17591794 one of the leading figures in the beginning of the french revolution and the first president of the committee of public safety committee of public safety c. The film itself is loosely based on stanislawa przybyszewska s 1929 play sprawa dantona the danton case. The film is no traditional biopic, however, instead solely depicting danton s spectacular fallfromgrace and persecution by fellow. Wajda doesnt want to give his film its natural conclusion.
When president francois mitterrand of france saw danton, a new film about the french revolution by the distinguished polish director. Wajdas intelligent and complex drama could be appreciated as a period piece about the french revolution as. Cinematography igor luther production design allan starski film editor halina prugarketling. Mar 30, 2009 wajdas dark, complex vision of the french revolution is clearly articulated by danton during his trial. Still, i found this film shows a time in history that keeps repeating itself in different places. Robespierre is the obsessive authoritarian representing the polish communist party. Georges danton was one of the foremost radical leaders during the french revolution. Good acting, but some very poignant themes about legitimacy of government, power and freedoms. The 1929 play by stanislawa przybyszewska was known for its fascinating look at the power dynamics between the two titans of the french revolution. Danton played a crucial role in the french revolution before his guillotining by the state together with others who were equally instrumental in the revolution. Dantons life from 1791 until his execution was the subject of the 1931 german film, danton. The film was based on the play the danton affair, by stanis. Laffaire danton sprawa dantona, andrzej wajda in collaboration with, agnieszka holland in collaboration with, boleslaw michalek in collaboration with, jacek gasiorowski in collaboration with actors. Georges danton gregarious, indulgent, confident and maximilien robespierre ill, ascetic, and portrayed.