Claude (1993)

Director:

Cindy Lou Johnson

Writer (WGA):

Cindy Lou Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

29 January 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Cast

Steve Buscemi
Leonardo Cimino	...	Daddy V.J.
Irène Jacob	...	Beatrice
Mark Evan Jacobs	...	Claude
Pat McNamara	...	Al Dewey

Also Known As:

Trusting Beatrice

Runtime:

USA:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

A movie about a wacky French woman (she swims topless!) Needed:More Steve Buscemi

I am not big on movies about crazy Frenchwomen.

But I did a search for "Steve Buscemi" in the New York Public Library on-line catalog, and this was the only movie "starring" Steve Buscemi that I had never heard of. And it seemed like an off-kilter comedy, so I decided to try it.

The movie is quite a mess. First of all, it takes place nowhere in particular, but in America, so I'm constantly trying to figure out where the scenes were shot. Turns out, it was shot in Providence and other places in Rhode Island.

It's about an Frenchwoman, Beatrice (Irene Jacob, no relation) who is dumped by her American lover, kidnaps (or adopts) a small Cambodian child, wanders around Providence, and finds an apartment. She speaks English in this movie, and is completely impossible to understand. This movie begs for closed-captioning or subtitles, but neither exist on the videotape that I used. So you are constantly saying "what?" and going back to figure out what you missed, although it's never anything of interest.

Anyway, a man named Claude (by which this title is listed in IMDB, and who is portrayed by Mark Evan Jacobs (no relation)), already lives in the building, and is breaking up with his girlfriend because she fooled around. So he burns all her pictures, and burns down the building while Beatrice and the Cambodian child are out shopping. Claude goes back to the scene, and lies down on a burnt mattress in agony. Along comes Beatrice, first finding out that the house is no longer there.

Claude feels sorry for Beatrice and the kid, and has them come to live with him and his parents in a large seaside house. Then Beatrice becomes really wacky (swimming topless, having orgasms over Mom's pancakes). And Claude becomes sane: he becomes a successful landscaper.

The two start appreciating each other, etc. etc. etc., and you can figure out what happens.

What about Steve Buscemi? He has a bit part as Claude's lawyer and friend, but he's really only there for marquee value.

As for this movie: not worth your time or money.