Festival in Cannes Reviews

A shaggy dog story about movie-business hustle and bustle (mostly hustle) set against the backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival, where filmmakers make deals, go to glamorous parties in swanky French Riviera venues and, occasionally, watch movies. Writer/director Henry Jaglom weaves together several stories that illustrate the extremes of the business, from sleazy Hollywood player Rick Yorkin's (Ron Silver) mega-budget Tom Hanks picture to actress-turned-screenwriter Alice Palmer's (Greta Scacchi) indie pipe dream. Fast-talking producer Kaz Naiman (Zack Norman), who has the manners of a high-end used-car salesman, approaches Palmer at an outdoor cafe and expresses interest in her screenplay, even after learning that it's about a middle-aged woman taking stock of her life. All a project like this needs is the right star, he says: How about French icon Millie Marquand (Anouk Aimée), who happens to be in Cannes attending a retrospective of her work? No matter that Palmer's film is set in middle America — just change the location, tell Marquand it was written for her and the project will be on its way! Meanwhile, Marquand is being pursued by Yorkin because the hot young French co-star he's lined up for the Hanks picture will only do it if Marquand plays her mother. Marquand likes Palmer's project — what actress of a certain age wouldn't prefer a starring role to a cameo — but her finances could use an infusion of big money, thanks to the fiscal mismanagement of her husband, European auteur Viktor Kovner (Maxmilian Schell). He's also at Cannes, but with his new fling, an Italian starlet named Gina (Camilla Campanale), though she still loves him in spite of everything. And then there's fresh-faced newcomer Blue (Jenny Gabrielle), whose fortunes are about to change now that her film has become the surprise toast of Cannes. With its brisk pace, breezy dialogue and gently jaundiced view of the rites of filmmaking, this is one of Jaglom's most accessible and genuinely enjoyable films. Its handsome look and accomplished cast make the film look as though it cost far more than it did ($1.6 million, by Jaglom's account); there's nothing like Riviera scenery and the elegant presence of a gently worn international star like Aimee to add an air of sophisticated luxury to the most modest project. Though just as savvy as Robert Altman's THE PLAYER, Jaglom's film is far mellower: He knows the movie business is a heartbreaker, but he loves it anyway.