Directed by:
Vincent PerezCinematography:
Lucie BaudinaudCast:
Roschdy Zem, Doria Tillier, Vincent Perez, Guillaume Gallienne, Damien Bonnard, Noham Edje, Pepe Lorente, Myriem Akeddiou, Eva Danino, Manda Touré (more)Plots(1)
Paris, 1887. Duels have been officially outlawed but are still regular practice. For many, they are the only way to defend their honor. Fencing master Clément Lacaze tries in vain to prevent his nephew from engaging in an uneven duel with the more experienced Colonel Berchère. Marie-Rose Astié de Valsayre, a feminist fighting for women’s equality, tries to show that honor is not just a male affair. Actor and director Vincent Perez’s historical film makes excellent use of various forms of duels – with épées, pistols, and sabres on horseback. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
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Reviews (4)
This French historical drama is worth a watch. The men settle their honour by duelling each other with swords or pistols, and the acting is dominated by fencing master Roschdy Zem, who plays a very likeable character. It's got attractive visuals, strong themes like honour, pride and feminism, interesting dueling rules and nicely filmed and intense duels (the fencing is really cool!), and the emotions at the end may work on some people. A decent film on an unconventional subject where thousands of Frenchmen died in tough duels.. 7/10.
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An ultimate historical piece that, in short, is about duels (and their decline) typical of France in bygone years and the emancipation tied to them. But in reality, it’s much more complex. Around 1887, not only were these iconic French duels coming to an end, but the period was also marked by the rise of emancipation, proving that history indeed repeats itself. It's not just that emancipation is a hot topic today, so let's shove it into every film, but rather, it’s an ongoing theme worth revisiting. Vincent Perez has meticulously crafted a historical drama that excels in its depiction of duels and captivates with its performances, particularly by Roschdy Zem and Doria Tillier. The film's ending is especially gripping. Comparable in quality to Ridley Scott's The Last Duel, this is a historical film that stands out in today’s cinema landscape where such impactful period pieces are rare.
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A precision attack composed of precisely timed thrusts and elegant feminist passages that sends the genre of “guy flick about fighting” into the maelstrom of current discussions about empowerment and does so without needless violence. The laconic Lacaze, played by Roschdy Zem, is probably this year’s greatest hero-nice guy. Perez is a surprisingly skilled storyteller and the action scenes that give the film its rhythm can easily measure up to those in The Last Duel. The peculiar combination of topicality and old-fashionedness gave rise to a film that can make one feel simultaneously like an adult and a twelve-year-old without any conflict between the two. Touché!
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Riveting duels with great choreography that even a layman like me can appreciate, and an entertaining and suspenseful story that explores the theme of honor from all sides and is actually contemporary despite the time it takes place. Vincent Pérez is as excellent a director as he is an actor, and his villain has charisma to spare, and Roschdy Zem is his equal. If you like Ridley Scott's The Duellists, The Edge of the Blade is especially for you.
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