cengelm Italian patriot Colonel Angelo Pardi is fleeing his country in 1832. He enters the cholera ridden French Provence. There he meets Pauline who is lovelessly married to rich Marquis de Théus. Together they will look for him. The road movie starts pretty slow and chaotic. More often than once I was confused about what was going on. A lot of swashbuckling, dead people, crows and crows again, some chases. There seemed to be no real plot or focus. Then after about one hour suddenly it got better and delivered what I was expecting. The romance between Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez gained momentum and the story got some direction. The ending was a bit melodramatic and lacked credibility but I won't ask for too much.Both lead actors did a good job. Cinematography was good and benefited from the setup in France's beautiful landscape. There was an improvement to be seen after a rather bad start.6 / 10

Claudio Carvalho In 1832, a frightened France has a serious epidemic of Asiatic cholera, which is killing the population specially in the country, and Italy is invaded and dominated by Austria. In this scenery, Angelo (Oliver Martinez) is a 25 years old refined Italian colonel from a wealthy family exiled in France. He is trying to gather his exiled compatriots and return to Milan to organize the Italian resistance against Austria. Angelo is welcomed by the French noble Pauline (Julliete Binoche) in her house in a difficult moment for him, and Pauline travels together with Angelo, trying to find her missing husband in a chaotic country. Along their journey, Angelo becomes her protector, and they fall in love for each other. "Le Hussard Sur le Toit" is a delightful adventure and a sensitive romance. The story is beautiful and the platonic love and the chemistry between Angelo and Pauline are wonderful. An excellent movie, with a beautiful reconstitution of a dark period of French history and highly recommended for any audience. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "O Cavaleiro do Telhado e a Dama das Sombras" ("The Knight of the Roof and the Lady of the Shadows")

honeybeexx Le Hussard sur le Toit presents its audience with the grim reality of cholera-stricken rural France in 1832 and its effect on a journey of escape by two anxious visitors. The frequent images of corpses and mass burial are refreshed by the breathtaking and beautifully shot scenery, itself brought to life by characters who dilute the presence of death with an oxymoronic mix of comedy and despair. Carrion crows regularly appear, mercilessly flying around in sinister anticipation, their cawing beaks wide open with hunger. Juliette Binoche enters only in the second half, her laconic period style beautifully portrayed, and preparing the way for her appearance as George Sand in Les Enfants du Siecle (1999). Le Hussard's plot is simple, its screenplay uncomplicated. But the action is fast and Bond-like and the innocence of Martinez' military-dominated character is uncanny. But it is its simplicity that makes this movie a work of exceptional visual satisfaction, for romantics or action-lovers alike.

janusz-2 I found this film to be excellent. Though I am a student of history, I really do not know all the details regarding this episode of the freeing of Italy from Austrian authoritarianism. Though interesting, the historical aspect of the movie was not that important to me. It was a highly enjoyable adventure film that could have been placed in lots of different historical times.Besides being a great adventure film it masterfully dealt with a most wide range of emotions. There were many undertones and harmonics dealing with fear, desperation, horror, escape, passion, love, honor and divine, or natural, justice.What was so fascinating to me was how the movie showed the power of freedom, courage and focus. The protagonist was raised by his mother (a most curiously powerful presence in this movie even though we never see or hear her)to be independent and freedom loving and this movie shows how strong and almost invincible this makes him because he believes it and lives it with all his heart. All around him the world is literally falling apart and going mad from fear and disease and yet, by neither railing against it nor taking on these thoughts, he triumphs with his will to live and being true to his own vision at all times.And as an added bonus, the visual artistry of this movie, from the titles all the way to the end is beautiful to behold. The scenery, costumes, sets, actors, camera angles and etc. are all brilliantly satisfying. The movie was a joy to see.