Nearly a century and a half ago, one of the greatest names in theater, worldwide, was Sarah Bernhardt. She was a French actress, artist, theater manager and play producer. The new film “The Divine Sarah Bernhardt” captures various points in her career. This is not a biography, or a dramatized history, but rather a dramatic re-creation of selected career points and of her relations with various prominent people of her era.
Director Guillaume Nicloux (“Being Blanche Houellebecq”) and writer Nathalie Leuthreau (“Mi Amor”) have crafted an intimate portrait, lush with the art nouveau essence of the period in which Bernhardt lived, and rich in the salon atmosphere of late 19th century Paris.
This collection of vignettes begins with Sarah (Sandrine Kiberlain) having to have her gangrenous right leg amputated above the knee. This took place in 1914. We travel back in time to the 1890s and then further back into the 1880s. Along the way, we meet many luminaries (Victor Hugo for one), but the meetings are brief and we get no idea of the depth of relationship, if any, between them and Sarah. The result is a beautifully choreographed but ultimately hollow exposition.
The director and writer would have done better to put more “meat” on the lovely “skeleton” they present us with. Only in the case of actor and lover Lucien Guitry (Lauren Lafitte – “The Count of Monte Cristo”) do we get any depth of feeling or sense of a real relationship.
For those few characters who have significant screen time, the performances are excellent, especially Kiberlain as the ground-breaking Bernhardt. However, the film, even at 98 minutes, seems long, yet doesn’t have enough time to give us more than glimpses at the real “monstre sacre’” (the sacred monster) a nickname allegedly given her by Jean Cocteau.
We are treated to some of her eccentricities, such as her in-house menagerie of jungle cats, fabulous birds and a boa constrictor. Unfortunately her dog-eating alligator was not depicted.
Bernhardt, while famous for her acting and singing skills, was also notorious for the way she lived – astounding luxury, limitless lovers, and pure audacity. She had one son, Maurice (Gregiore Leprince Ringuet – “Fool Moon”). He was a political conservative and something of a wastrel, but he was her only child (from a period when she worked as a political courtesan, as had her mother), yet she loved him and indulged his vices.
Also of note, as presented in the film, is her relationship with Louise Abbema (Amira Casar – “The Contractor”) an acclaimed artist with whom Sarah had a decades long relationship. Sadly, too little time is devoted to this relationship.
This is in some ways a glorious film: the sets, the cinematography, the acting. But it leaves one feeling a bit empty and not ever really getting to know the divine Sarah Bernhardt.
The movie is in French, with English subtitles which come very fast at times and prevent the viewer from fully appreciating the feast of color and expression on the screen.
Runtime: One hour, 38 minutes
Availability: Available on DVD. Available for purchase or rent on various streaming services.
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