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Providence
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Synopsis
The first English-language film from Alain Resnais, this drama about a spiteful, alcoholic novelist contains the French director's typically playful surrealist touches and recurring use of characters shackled by memory. John Gielgud stars as Clive Langham, a drunken author in failing health who spends an increasingly intoxicated evening at his Rhode Island estate working on his new novel. Clive bases the characters in the melodramatic story on his own family, including his two sons, Claude (Dirk Bogarde) and the illegitimate Kevin (David Warner), as well as Claude's wife Sonia (Ellen Burstyn). Imagining a bitter love triangle full of spite between the three protagonists of his tale, Clive uses generous doses of imagination and symbolism, including a discordant soccer player (Denis Lawson) related to Kevin and werewolves. When his real-life family appears for a meal with Clive, however, they are not quite the embittered, devious players in the author's booze-fueled fiction. Although dividing critics between those delighted with Resnais' comic flourishes and others annoyed by his arty pretensions, Providence (1977) swept the Cesar Awards, France's Oscar equivalent, winning seven including Best Director for Resnais. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast

Dirk Bogarde Claude
Ellen Burstyn Sonia
John Gielgud Clive
Denis Lawson Dave
Cyril Luckham Mark
Elaine Stritch Helen Weiner
David Warner Kevin

Production Crew

Claude Serre Art Director
Jacques Saulnier Art Director
Lise Fayolles Associate Producer
Philippe Brun Camera Operator
Ricardo Aronovich Cinematographer
Miklos Rozsa Composer (Music Score)
Catherine Leterrier Costume Designer
John Bates Costume Designer
Yves Saint Laurent Costume Designer
Yves Saint Laurent Costume/Wardrobe
Alain Resnais Director
Albert Jurgenson Editor
Philippe Dussart Executive Producer
Klaus Hellwig Producer
Yves Gasser Producer
Yves Peyrot Producer
Charles Merangel Production Designer
Antoine Gannage Production Manager
David Mercer Screenwriter
Claude Serre Set Designer
Jacques Maumont Sound/Sound Designer
Year: 1977
Runtime: 110
Country: France
MPAA Rating:
Category: Feature

Genre
Drama

Color type
Eastmancolor

Produced by
Action Films
Compagnie Commerciale Francais Cinematographie [DISTRIBUTION]
Societe de Francais Production

Awards
1977 - Best Film - French Academy of Cinema