Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Linh Dan Pham, Vincent Perez
Director: Regis Wargnier
Screenplay: Louis Gardel, Erik Orsenna, Regis Wargnier, Catherine Cohen
Cinematography: Francois Catonne
Music: Patrick Doyle
In French and Vietnamese with English subtitles
Indochine is, at its heart, a love story. Despite all the political turmoil that functions as the film's backdrop, the central element of the movie is the tale of how Camille (Linh Dan Pham) and Jean-Baptiste (Vincent Perez) meet, fall in love, and confront an uncertain future. The scenes focusing on the relationship between these two are electric. Unfortunately, the movie isn't nearly as engaging when the legions of other performers fill the screen. Catherine Deneuve's Eliane, while well-acted, is not as intriguing a character, so many of her scenes lack thrust.
The pace of Indochine as a whole is leisurely, although there are three instances when the slow progression of events is suddenly shattered by a barrage of violent action. Indochine is of epic scope and, at times, it appears that scenes have been cut for the sake of brevity. Regardless of what was sacrificed, however, the final product remains a well-plotted and superbly-acted piece.
Linh Dan Pham is excellent. Much of the depth attained by Camille is a product of a strong screen portrayal, since the character is not strongly written. Vincent Perez's Jean-Baptiste is better rounded on the written page than his lover, and the actor's passionate performance amplifies what the screenplay envisioned.
Set in French Indochina on the brink of revolution in the 1930s, Indochine tackles numerous social and political issues, many of which are still relevant today. This is both the picture's strength -- because its range is so broad -- and its weakness -- because it occasionally loses its focus. Nevertheless, Indochine is successful far more often than not, and, when it works, it does so extremely effectively.
© 1992 James Berardinelli