Return of the Hero
Showtime: Wednesday, November 13th
Time: 90 Minutes
Genre: Comedy, history (subtitled)
Rating: PG
Set in the Napoleonic era, stunning scenery and splendid costumes illuminate director Laurent Tirard’s lively laugh-out-loud farce. In 1809, charming and swash-buckling Capitaine Charles-Gregoire Neuville (Jean Dujardin) proposes marriage to delicate, spoiled aristocratic Pauline Beaugrand (Noemie Merlant). Suddenly the captain is called away to the battlefront, but he promises to write to Pauline every day. When time passes and none of the promised letters arrive, heartbroken Pauline begins to waste away with melancholy. Elizabeth (Melanie Laurent) decides to come to her sister’s rescue by forging letters from the captain that profess his steadfast love and detail his brave exploits. Eventually however when a new love interest emerges for Pauline, Elizabeth decides it is time to “kill off” the captain.
Three years later, newly released from jail for his drunken desertion, Pauline’s fickle old fiancée returns to town. He and Elizabeth meet and he reads an inscription on the memorial dedicated to his heroic dead self, praising his great passion and consummate courage.
At this point, truth and lies are turned upside down. Elizabeth cannot disclose the captain’s true identity to her family; for fear that her prior dishonesty, despite having been well intentioned, will be discovered. By contrast, simply by revealing his true identity, the rogue captain will be able to capitalize on the questionable ethics of Elizabeth’s past rescue efforts.
A fast-paced razor–sharp battle of wits ensues between the captain and Elizabeth. Ironically victory for the captain in this hilarious combat requires daring engagement, clever stratagems and a fight to the finish. Ultimately it requires the Return of a Hero. Don’t miss all the funny fireworks!