CORRIERE DELLA SERA NEWSPAPER
September 29, 1990
 

The adventurous life of Baron de Sigognac leaves the pages of the famous novel by Theophile Gautier to become a movie, full of big stars, directed by Ettore Scola; we'll once again follow the exiting story of the nobleman and his group of nomad theater-actors in 17th century France.

The Baron (played by Vincent Perez) is heroic, charming, daring; thin and athletic. His first instinct is to seduce all the ladies, but also to seduce anyone he meets in his way, thanks to his ability with words and play. France was at that time merry and adventurous, but also cruel at the same time. Fracasse is half way between The Three Musketeers and Cyrano de Bergerac. All three are full of life and fantasy, tender and viril, generous and devout, with solid principles, but maybe a little too lost in their own fantasies.

Le Voyage du Capitaine Fracasse tells the story of a group of actors traveling through France in a chariot, a symbol of their adventures and their passions. Baron de Sigognac is very poor and lives a very grey life in a falling castle. Among the actors is Isabella, whom he falls in love with immediately. He follows the troupe and becomes, by chance, an actor himself . When one of the actors dies, he becomes Capitaine Fracasse. Along the way there are incognito ladies, secret appointments, duels, offended honour and challenged chastity, creative bar-keepers, smart thieves...

Magazine Cover with Ornella Muti

[Written by Enzo Siciliano]

[With special thanks to Cinzia Masina for her condensed translation]

 

 

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