Peacocky costume piece with an insufferably self-satisfied Fabrice Luchini in the titular role of the 18th-century French wit, playwright, magistrate, periodic political prisoner, duellist, spy, gun-runner, great lover, voice of liberty, and all-around fascinating fellow. The script comes with an intriguing pedigree, traceable to an unproduced and unpublished play by Sacha Guitry entitled Franklin and Beaumarchais -- and the marginal space now allotted to Ben Franklin is one indicator of just how "freely" the play has been adapted. By liberal estimation, the Guitry connection will mean something to about point-oh-oh-three percent of the current pool of American moviegoers, and mean something positive to point-oh-oh-oh-nine. The fact that the movie was directed by Edouard Molinaro would mean something to a far larger percentage if it were accompanied with the reminder that he also directed La Cage aux Folles. And that's a pity. (1996) — Duncan Shepherd
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