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The Salamander Photos

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Movie Info

Freelance journalist Pierre (Jean-Luc Bideau) and his friend Paul (Jacques Denis), a poet, join forces to pen a screenplay about Rosemonde (Bulle Ogier), who may or not may not have shot her uncle many years earlier. Pierre pursues the facts while Paul begins to create a fictional Rosemonde -- that is, until he meets her and oddly finds his creativity fading away. Meanwhile, both men become attracted to the young woman, but find it impossible to discover her true character.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

French (Canada)
Director:

Alain Tanner
Writer:

Alain Tanner
Runtime:

2h 5m

Cast & Crew

Bulle Ogier
Rosemonde

Jean-Luc Bideau
Pierre

Jacques Denis
Paul

Alain Tanner
Director

Alain Tanner
Writer

Critic Reviews for The Salamander

All Critics (2) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (1) | Rotten (1)

The movie finally doesn't quite win us over. It moves too slowly; it tries to do too much at its leisurely pace. We don't hate it, or want to walk out. We're just left a little too relaxed.

May 1, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
A fascinating new film from Switzerland.

January 3, 2020 | Full Review…

Robert Sullivan
Los Angeles Free Press

View All Critic Reviews (2)

Audience Reviews for The Salamander

Jun 29, 2008

[font=Century Gothic]"La Salamandre" starts with an incident that could be interpreted in two ways:[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]A. Rosemonde(Bulle Ogier) deliberately tried to kill her uncle(Marcel Vidal) with his army rifle.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]B. The gun went off accidentally while he was cleaning it.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic](The result is the same. He lives with a nasty scar on his shoulder that he likes to show off.)[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]While writing an article about Brazil, Pierre(Jean-Luc Bideau) receives an offer to write a script about the above case. Already busy, he elicits the help of a fellow writer and friend, Paul(Jacques Denis). Paul's approach is to rely solely on his imagination, quickly coming up with the notion that Rosemonde is of a very large family. Pierre instead takes the route of journalism, looking for Rosemonde, now 23, and working in a sausage factory.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"La Salamandre" starts with a singular great idea for a movie but instead of letting the imagination go wild, takes a literal route which results in a very talky movie that goes on a little too long, in search of an ending. But on the other hand, a realistic approach does help when it comes to the matter of work which is at the heart of the matter. Rosemonde is not thrilled at the prospect at working the next 40 years at a menial job. Yes, there are people who do but they have to, which is a fate that she is trying to avoid. Since neither seem to understand women that well, Paul and Pierre take the job writing her story because they need the money. Otherwise, Paul would be painting houses to support his family.(I do not think Paul's true love is writing, either. It is music but that would never pay the bills.) [/font]

Walter M Super Reviewer