French-language equivalent of "The West Wing"?
April 26, 2008 7:45 AM Subscribe
What's the French-language equivalent, dialogue-wise, of The West Wing? Witty, erudite, and fun dialogue is the only requirement. The series/movie being any good would also be nice. Either TV or movies would be fine.
Best answer: I don't speak French, but (even in good English translations), Moliere's dialogue is like that. Look for movie adaptations of his plays.
posted by grumblebee at 9:22 AM on April 26, 2008
posted by grumblebee at 9:22 AM on April 26, 2008
Best answer: Dialogue is really in a state of dismay nowadays in France. It's hard to think of something current that is approaching the quality of the West Wing.
Bacri & Jaoui are considered some of the best screenwriters in the country, they're originally playwrights.
Etienne Chatiliez movies are also known for being well-written.
The Podalydes brothers made some great comedies, they've also been adapting Gaston Leroux's crime books. Very entertaining low-key movies with great dialogue.
The ultimate dialogue movie is Les Tontons Flingeurs, it is still heavily quoted today, 45 years after its release. There's a lot of old french criminal slang in there so it might not be the easiest movie to understand.Michel Audiard the guy who wrote it, is the ultimate "dialoguiste", a job that has now sadly disapeared. His son, Jacques Audiard is a good filmmaker/screenwriter but i wouldn't consider his movies fun or witty.
Last, another classic is "Le pére noël est une ordure" (litteraly Santa Claus is a scumbag). It's not really erudite per say, but it's really fun.
posted by SageLeVoid at 9:23 AM on April 26, 2008
Bacri & Jaoui are considered some of the best screenwriters in the country, they're originally playwrights.
Etienne Chatiliez movies are also known for being well-written.
The Podalydes brothers made some great comedies, they've also been adapting Gaston Leroux's crime books. Very entertaining low-key movies with great dialogue.
The ultimate dialogue movie is Les Tontons Flingeurs, it is still heavily quoted today, 45 years after its release. There's a lot of old french criminal slang in there so it might not be the easiest movie to understand.Michel Audiard the guy who wrote it, is the ultimate "dialoguiste", a job that has now sadly disapeared. His son, Jacques Audiard is a good filmmaker/screenwriter but i wouldn't consider his movies fun or witty.
Last, another classic is "Le pére noël est une ordure" (litteraly Santa Claus is a scumbag). It's not really erudite per say, but it's really fun.
posted by SageLeVoid at 9:23 AM on April 26, 2008
Best answer: Not really the same thing, but I think still well worth considering, is Ridicule. It's a fine film for English-speakers who can only read the subtitles, and I'm told that means you're missing out on about half of it.
posted by dansdata at 9:54 AM on April 26, 2008
posted by dansdata at 9:54 AM on April 26, 2008
Best answer: I asked a pretty similar question when I first arrived in France about six months ago: where's all the good French TV? The networks in France are filled with dubbed American series and talk shows.
This thread seems to have confirmed, by citing only films and Quebecois TV, that the French really just don't do good scripted TV.
posted by greytape at 4:29 PM on April 26, 2008
This thread seems to have confirmed, by citing only films and Quebecois TV, that the French really just don't do good scripted TV.
posted by greytape at 4:29 PM on April 26, 2008
Best answer: Very funny to find La petite vie, Les Bougon, Le père noël est une ordure and Molière on the same page.
Seconded, of course.
I would add Les Visiteurs (the first one only), Le bonheur est dans le pré, Un air de famille and La loi du cochon (those 4 are movies).
Like Molière, all of the above have farcical components mixed with great dialogue and social critique.
posted by bru at 4:34 PM on April 26, 2008
Seconded, of course.
I would add Les Visiteurs (the first one only), Le bonheur est dans le pré, Un air de famille and La loi du cochon (those 4 are movies).
Like Molière, all of the above have farcical components mixed with great dialogue and social critique.
posted by bru at 4:34 PM on April 26, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Les Bougon
posted by zadcat at 8:39 AM on April 26, 2008