The movie is an adaptation of a Hemningway novel, but the novel itself is quite an interesting story. Hemingway began it in 1946 but never completed it. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1961 and the book was not published until 1986. Even then it was highly edited and in final form was perhaps one-third of what Hemingway had written. Still it makes a rather nice movie that offers an interesting glimpse of Hemingway. It is generally considered to be drawn from his own experiences marrying an older woman and moving to Paris.
Jack Huston is American writer David Bourne living and writing in Paris. He meets a woman, a few years older and very wealthy. She loves him, calmly states that they will get married, buys him a sleek blue Bugatti as a gift just because she loves him. After only six weeks they are married and head off for a honeymoon on the Rivera.
The central character is actually Mena Suvari as the rich woman Catherine Hill. She is the type that always seems to get what she wants and is never shy about any situation. She is experimental. One day she shows up with a very short haircut, then she and David go to a French hairdresser who turns them into two androgynous bleached blonds. At an outdoor café Catherine notices two women staring, then one woman comes to inquire. Later Catherine goes into Cannes to retrieve the woman, bring her to the rural hotel, and "gives her to David as a present". The woman is Italian beauty Caterina Murino as Marita .
David is frequently reminded that his wife's wealth is making it possible for him to write, as money is not an issue. Catherine becomes more and more controlling and moody, alternately suggesting that David and Marita become lovers then feeling betrayed. David becomes increasingly agitated, and it reaches its peak when Catherine decides she doesn't like his 'An African Story' and burns his manuscript outside in the early morning light.
So what is the point of the story? Is it just showing how life is unpredictable? Perhaps he was highlighting how hazardous it is for two people to get married after a very short courtship. As rich as she was, and as attractive as she was, a real sex maniac, would David have married her had he known her well enough first?
I saw it on Netflix streaming movies.
As an aside, as David was writing his 'An African Story' ostensibly based on travels with his father, we see this played out in short scenes with Matthew Modine as David's father.
I like the movie, I think the current IMDb rating of 5.0 is way too low.
Jack Huston is American writer David Bourne living and writing in Paris. He meets a woman, a few years older and very wealthy. She loves him, calmly states that they will get married, buys him a sleek blue Bugatti as a gift just because she loves him. After only six weeks they are married and head off for a honeymoon on the Rivera.
The central character is actually Mena Suvari as the rich woman Catherine Hill. She is the type that always seems to get what she wants and is never shy about any situation. She is experimental. One day she shows up with a very short haircut, then she and David go to a French hairdresser who turns them into two androgynous bleached blonds. At an outdoor café Catherine notices two women staring, then one woman comes to inquire. Later Catherine goes into Cannes to retrieve the woman, bring her to the rural hotel, and "gives her to David as a present". The woman is Italian beauty Caterina Murino as Marita .
David is frequently reminded that his wife's wealth is making it possible for him to write, as money is not an issue. Catherine becomes more and more controlling and moody, alternately suggesting that David and Marita become lovers then feeling betrayed. David becomes increasingly agitated, and it reaches its peak when Catherine decides she doesn't like his 'An African Story' and burns his manuscript outside in the early morning light.
So what is the point of the story? Is it just showing how life is unpredictable? Perhaps he was highlighting how hazardous it is for two people to get married after a very short courtship. As rich as she was, and as attractive as she was, a real sex maniac, would David have married her had he known her well enough first?
I saw it on Netflix streaming movies.
As an aside, as David was writing his 'An African Story' ostensibly based on travels with his father, we see this played out in short scenes with Matthew Modine as David's father.
I like the movie, I think the current IMDb rating of 5.0 is way too low.