"Monsieur Blake at your service" with John Malkovich

Comedy - "Monsieur Blake at your service" with John Malkovich

Since the death of his wife, Andrew Blake has lost the joy of life. Inconsolable, the successful British entrepreneur decides to return to France to the castle of Beauvillier, where he met his late wife over 40 years ago. But his stay turns out differently than he had hoped.

With the comedy "Monsieur Blake at Your Service", Gilles Legardinier presents his first directorial work. The film is based on his successful novel "Complètement cramé", which has been published in 22 countries and 17 languages. In Germany, the book was published in 2014 under the title "Monsieur Blake and the Magic of Love". With his romantic comedies, the 58-year-old is one of the most widely read authors in France.

The castle of Beauvillier has long ceased to be a guest house. When Andrew arrives, the maid mistakes him for a man who has come for his job as a butler. Andrew plays the game. Because he wants to stay longer in the castle with its beautiful memories.

For his first directorial work, Legardinier brought American actor John Malkovich in front of the camera, who shone as a Machiavellian seducer in Stephen Frears' film "Dangerous Liaisons". Here he impresses with his incomparable composure as Andrew Blake. Opposite him, Fanny Ardant plays Nathalie Beauvillier, the completely impoverished owner of the magnificent estate, with graceful elegance.

At the castle, the ironic Andrew encounters strange characters. There is the authoritarian and uptight housekeeper Odile (Émilie Dequenne) with her cat Mephisto. Under her strict supervision, Andrew serves the widowed lady of the manor breakfast and answers the post. Or the depressive chambermaid Manon (Eugénie Anselin), who lives in the garage, and the gruff gardener Philippe (Philippe Bas), who lives almost like a hermit. The lady of the house is also a mystery.

Legardinier plays generously with clichés about the French and the English in his film. Some puns and jokes about cultural differences seem a little rehashed, some scenes too tabloid-like, such as the cross-dressing scene in which Andrew tries to teach the gardener table manners with a platinum blonde wig and red-painted lips. But Malkovich makes up for a lot as a "snobbish English gentleman" with a wonderful French accent and typical English humor. It's a movie with a lot of humanity, because it shows that you should never give up hope, even if you no longer believe in it yourself.

Monsieur Blake at your service, France, Luxembourg, 2023, 110 min, FSK o.A., by Gilles Legardinier, with John Malkovich, Fanny Ardant, Philippe Bas,

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1. Fanny Ardant, known for her graceful elegance, stars alongside John Malkovich in the French comedy "Monsieur Blake at Your Service."
2. Prior to this film, Gilles Legardinier had gained popularity with his romantic comedies set in France, which have been translated into numerous languages including German, where it was titled "Monsieur Blake and the Magic of Love."
3. In this film, John Malkovich portrays Andrew Blake, an English gentleman who visits a French castle following the death of his wife, only to find himself in strange situations with French characters such as the gardener Philippe and the authoritarian housekeeper Odile.
4. This film was shot in France and Luxembourg and features iconic French actress Fanny Ardant in the lead role along with John Malkovich, making it a unique collaboration of English and French Cinema.
5. The comedy "Monsieur Blake at Your Service" discards cultural stereotypes and showcases human drama, inspiring the audience to never lose faith, even when hope seems distant.

Source: www.stern.de