Le Bossu (1997 film)

"Le Bossu" (alternative English title: "On Guard") is a French historical action romance film directed by Philippe de Broca, released in 1997. The story is adapted from "Le Bossu", the 1858 historical novel by Paul Féval, père.

ynopsis

"Si tu ne viens pas à Lagardère, Lagardère ira à toi!" ("If you don't come to Largardère, Lagardère will come to you!")

Lagardère, cashiered from the army, forms a friendship with a dashing swordsman, the Duc de Nevers. Through Lagardère, Nevers learns that he has a "son" by Blanche de Caylus, a fact previously concealed by his cousin and would-be heir, the wicked Comte de Gonzague. Lagardère and Nevers leave for Caylus, followed by Gonzague and his henchmen who plan to murder Nevers before he can marry Blanche and claim his son and heir. Lagardère delays the attackers, allowing Nevers to marry Blanche, but they murder the wedding party and pursue the child. Nevers is fatally stabbed by a masked Gonzague, who is "branded" on the hand by Lagardère, who then escapes, entrusted with the child and vowing revenge.

Lagardère takes refuge in the mountains, and discovers that the baby "son" is in fact a girl, Aurore. Lagardère escapes with the help of a band of strolling players who convince the pursuing henchmen that Lagardère and Aurore have plunged to their deaths in a mountain torrent. Blanche retires to a convent.

16 years later, Lagardère and Aurore are still with the players. Aurore, using fencing skills learnt from her father, escapes the clutches of a roué, killing him with the "Nevers attack" ("la botte de Nevers"). Gonzague learns of this and has suspicions about the survival of Aurore and her saviour, confirmed when her tomb is opened to reveal a wax doll. To pursue his revenge Lagardère gains employment as Gonzague's secretary in the disguise of a hunchback. He reveals to Aurore that he is not her real father, makes contact with Blanche, and engineers a stock market raid on shares in the Mississippi Company, supposedly on behalf of Gonzague. However, in front of the Regent d'Orléans, Aurore and Blanche come forward and expose Gonzague. He is killed in a swordfight and Lagardère and Auorore declare their love.

Technical information

* Title: "Le Bossu"
* Director: Philippe de Broca
* Music: Philippe Sarde
* Country of origin: France
* Genre: Swashbuckler
* Release date: 3 December 1997 (France)
* Length: 120 minutes

Cast

*Lagardère, "The Hunchback": Daniel Auteuil
*Aurore de Nevers: Marie Gillain
*Gonzague: Fabrice Luchini
*Nevers: Vincent Perez
*Blanche de Caylus: Claire Nebout
*Cocardasse: Jean-François Stévenin
*Peyrolles: Yann Collette
*Passepoil: Didier Pain
*Marcello: James Thierrée

External links

*imdb title|id=0118756|titre=Le Bossu