Top-Ten Non-English Language Film Biographies
Jul 13 '04 (Updated Nov 10 '05)
The Bottom Line Film biographies provide a rare opportunity for combining entertainment with self-education. Foreign film biographies add a third element: immersion in another culture.
One might expect a category such as film biographies to be a pretty straight-forward matter, but it’s not really quite so clear cut as one might imagine. One issue is whether to include autobiography as a subtype within biography. On that issue, I opt for inclusion. Whether it’s a biography of the author himself or herself or a biography of another person, I’ll consider the film eligible.
A second issue is how far the story can be permitted to deviate from the historical fact of the person’s life before it becomes fiction rather than biography. Here, we have to acknowledge that the question cannot be satisfactorily dealt with as a black or white issue. Almost every biography includes embellishment of details for dramatic affect, so we can’t demand absolute accuracy. On the other hand, some characters of literature took the name of a real individual from history but very little else about that character. For example, a person named Cyrano de Bergerac actually lived in France, but the character created, first, in the play by that name and, later, in the films based on the play is much more embellishment than biography.
In the autobiographical sphere, the issue of truthful representation versus a mere source of inspiration is even thornier. Almost every author of fiction draws on personal experiences in life in creating fictional characters, yet these certainly cannot be viewed as biographical depictions. Fellini’s Amarcord was based on his recollections of his hometown and childhood, but Fellini was explicit that what he was portraying were his memories, embellished by nostalgia, and not the actuality. Similarly, Diane Kurys produced two wonderful films, Peppermint Soda and Entre Nous, which were based on her own novels, which were in turn based on her experiences as a child. Since she designated the source material for the films a “novel”, I’ll have to disqualify the resultant film as autobiographical despite their having autobiographical content. Similarly, I must disqualify Caroline Link’s fine Academy Award winner from 2002, No Man’s Land, based on novel by Stefanie Zweig, which was partly based on Zweig’s childhood experiences. By my reckoning, a work can’t both be a novel and a biography or autobiography. On the other hand, Louis Malle’s Au Revoir les Enfants, though stylistically similar to some of the films I’ve disqualified, is based on a realistic portrayal of a piece of his experience as a child without embellishment or fictionalization. It qualifies as autobiography, though not of the typical sort.
One last point about my list. The qualifier “Top-Ten” in the case of this category is a bit of overblown hyperbole. I would be hard-pressed to construct a list of non-English language biographies available internationally longer than about fifteen films. Thus, a “Top-Ten” draws from a group of films that is only about 50% larger than the list of ten. Consequently, there is nothing close, in my opinion, to ten five-star non-English language biographies or autobiographies available to viewers. This list, by necessity, must reach much deeper into its selection barrel than other kinds of Top-Ten lists than I’ve done in the past. I had no compunction about recommending ten excellent non-English language comedies, tragedies, war films, or coming-of-age films. For this list, however, only the top two, in my opinion, are five star-films worthy of the attention of any film lover. The next four, I’ve rated as four-star films – still clearly worth a viewing – while the last four, in my judgment, will be mainly of interest only to viewers who especially enjoy biography or being educated more than entertained by their film choices.
MY TOP-TEN NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES BIOGRAPHIES/AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
#10. Rasputin (1977). Russian.
Grigori Efimovich Rasputin (c. 1871-1916) received no education and was notoriously ignorant. In 1904, he joined a radical religious sect (the Khlysty) that preached that the only route to salvation was sin followed by repentance! Rasputin participated in sexual orgies and a generally libertine life style interspersed with prayers of repentance. He developed a David Koresh-like mystique and megalomania. During a visit to St. Petersburg in 1907, he was presented to the court and so impressed the Czarina that he soon became the most influential person in her entourage. With her authority, he was able to dominate the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. His debaucheries with ladies of the nobility became a source of scandal among the Russian people and internationally. His influence over the royal family further inflamed the protest that led ultimately to the Russian Revolution.
#9. The Jew (1996). Portuguese.
The subject matter of this film is the Portuguese Inquisition, a period of religious and political intolerance implemented in Portugal in 1536 and lasting until 1821. One aim of the Portuguese Inquisition was to ferret out forced “converts”, called “Marranos,” who were only feigning the practice of Catholicism but privately maintaining their identities and practices as Jews. Torture was applied to elicit confessions. One of the more famous victims of this persecution was the playwright Antonio Jose da Silva (Filipe Pinheiro). Born in Brazil to Jewish exiles, Antonio da Silva immigrated into Portugal in 1715 and married into a noble Portuguese family. Da Silva wrote hilarious farces that were the toast of the cultured intelligentsia. He was nicknamed “The Jew” by his friends and fans, more out of affection for his heritage than bigotry but the high regard in which he was held by some could not spare him from interrogation, torture, and, ultimately, execution by the authorities responsible for the Inquisition.
#8. Monsieur Vincent (1947). French.
Vincent de Paul was born at Pouy, Gascony, France around 1580 and was ordained in 1600. In 1609, he became alminer to Queen Marguerite of Valois and later became the tutor of the children of an illustrious French nobleman. He initiated missions for the poor and later founded the first conference of charity for helping the poor. Vincent de Paul was uniquely situated to marshal the resources of the wealthy to the purpose of beneficence to the poor. As much as any one person, Vincent de Paul advanced the idea of organized Christian charities that persist down to present times. His story is worthy of the interest of viewers regardless of their religious affiliation.
#7. Balzac: A Life of Passion (1973). French.
Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was one of the most prolific and, arguably, greatest French authors. His personal life, on the other hand, was characterized by passionate excess – overeating, debt, excessive consumption of coffee, love affairs and ill-health. Balzac is played by the incomparable Gérard Depardieu in this period piece with gorgeous sets and costumes.
#6. Farinelli: Il Castrato (1994). Belgian.
“Farinelli” was the performance name of Carlo Broschi (1704/5-1782), the most famous castrato of his era, performing in Italy, Spain, and England. Castrati were male sopranos or contraltos (above an alto) produced by castrating an unfortunate lad with a good singing voice before puberty. Castrati were adulated much as rock stars or movie stars are today, but obviously they also had to adjust to missing out on certain aspects of normal human existence. This film explores Farinelli’s complex relationships with his brother, a woman, and the composer Handel.
#5. Alexander Nevsky (1938). Russian.
Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky (1220-1263) was an historical figure, though his real exploits have been expanded by legend. This film covers the part of his legend that is most closely historically based. Alexander received the honorary name “Nevsky” by routing an invading Swedish army at the mouth of the River Neva in 1240. Two years later, he led Russian forces against invading Teutonic Knights from Germany at a famous battle on Lake Chudskoye. This film includes one of the most exciting and realistic battle scenes ever filmed as well an exceptional musical score by the great Sergei Prokovief.
#4. Au Revoir les Enfants (1987). French.
Louis Malle wrote and directed this film, which is based on his own experience as a child. The story takes place in January of 1944 in Nazi-occupied France. It is the start of the second semester and the headmaster introduces three new students. Though the other children don’t know it, the new boys are Jews in hiding, assuming Christian names to protect them from the Nazis. This is a poignant tale of friendship and betrayal.
#3. The Rise of Louis XIV (1966). French.
This film directed by Roberto Rossellini is one of the most realistic portrayals of court life in renaissance Europe ever filmed. The gorgeous cinematography and magnificent settings and costumes will hold your interest straight through. Louis XIV (1638-1715) became known as the “Sun King” because of the elegant glamour of his royal court.
#2. Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). French.
Joan of Arc was born around 1412 in the Lorraine Province in eastern France. She was born to a peasant family, never learned to read or write, but was devoutly religious. By age thirteen, she was having religious visions and hearing the voices of the saints that persuaded her that God had chosen her to help King Charles VII of France drive the English from French soil. Under her command, the French forces routed the British from Orléans in just ten days. Later, Joan was wounded in battle and captured by the Burgundians. She was then taken to Rouen to stand trial, under the supervision of the British, for witchcraft and heresy. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is widely viewed as one of the greatest films of all time. The filming technique employed b the director, Carl Dreyer, resulted in a highly stylized composition unlike anything produced before or since.
#1. Ivan the Terrible, Pts. I & II (1944/6). (See Eisenstein: The Sound Years.). Russian.
Ivan IV (1830-1884) ruled from 1847 until his death and became the first ruler to be crowned Czar. He struggled against the Russian nobility (boyars) to centralize and consolidate power so that Russia could better defend itself against foreign threats and strengthen its opportunities for trade. Ivan the Terrible is one of the most technically complex films ever made. The sophistication of Eisenstein’s visual vocabulary is exceptional.
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You may also enjoy my other genre lists for non-English language films:
Ten Excellent Spanish-Language Films
Ten More Excellent Spanish-Language Films
Coming-of-age – Outside the USA!
Top Ten Foreign Language Psychodramas
Top Ten Non-English Language Political Movies
My Top Ten Non-English Language Tragedies
Top Non-English Language Comedies
Top-Ten Non-English Language Action/Adventure Films
Top-Ten Non-English Language Mystery Films
Top-Ten Non-English Language ~Horror~ Films
Top-Ten English-Language ~Horror~ Films from Outside the USA
Ten Excellent Films Featuring Royalty
Ten Excellent Non-English Language Thrillers
Ten Non-English Language High-Yield Tearjerkers
Ten Best Non-English Language War Movies!!
Ten Excellent Non-English Language Senior Films
Top-Ten Non-English Language Films Featuring Classical Music
The Top Non-English Language Epics
The 10 Best Foreign Language Romance Movies!!
The Ten Best Non-English Language Love Story Movies!!
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