The Widow of Saint-Pierre

R

Released Apr 19, 2000

1h 52m

Romance

List

91%

76 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

An emotionally-charged romantic epic about an extraordinary woman poised between two extraordinary men at a pivotal moment in time. Set in 1850 on the desolate and intensely beautiful island of Saint-Pierre, the film is a powerful and provocative examination of grand passions and their consequences. A single twist of fate sets the plot in motion, establishing that the twin forces of character and destiny can work together to alter lives in unexpected and even unimaginable ways.

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Critics Consensus

Critics are impressed with The Widow of St. Pierre's intriguing story and beautiful cinematography.

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jordan m

My decision to watch all of the Best Foreign Language nominees from the BAFTAs and Golden Globes for my primary years of interest has not produced nearly as many high-quality viewing experiences as I'd expected. These awards apparently skew heavily toward the type of dull, forgettable, human melodrama that any average Hollywood newcomer could've made while they were in film school. I've found it so difficult to be impressed by this and several others (With Friends Like Harry..., The Taste of Others, etc) that it has me worried that I don't know how to appreciate a good film when I see one. I didn't mind the premise with this one and the acting was fine; the problem was how thoroughly futile all of Madame La's efforts seemed (and ultimately were), particularly her teaching the man to read instead of doing anything to appeal his sentence. Auteuil's defiance of the governor and his other superiors came off as nothing more than irresponsible posturing and the townspeople having no qualms about letting a death-row murderer do manual labor for them didn't seem particularly believable. I'll not likely forget having watched this because of its mildly unique premise but I can't say I'm glad to have sat through it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

I can’t understand all the great reviews gushing about this film’s passion. This felt like listening to a child retell a story, where they forget to give you the context or set the scene, and one-dimensional characters make dramatic decisions and actions without precedent. The town’s instant forgiveness and sudden, unanimous affection for their neighbor’s murderer was just one example of the absurdity. The concept of a convicted murderer redeeming himself, only to be executed, is not a bad one. But this film was about as clumsy as the faulty guillotine (the “widow”) of Saint Pierre.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/22/20

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Audience Member

Boring but the scenery of Newfoundland is really great.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

started becoming uninteresting very quickly...not my cup of tea..

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

A quiet film that stays intense to the very end -- not at all what I expected.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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Audience Member

Based on a true story! An extraordinary dark drama that reflects an anti death penalty rationale! But if you look harder you will see the film is about so much more! The more dangerously involved the Captain and his wife become with the condemned prisoner the more their passions explode! A deeply romantic and complex story about the human condition and the tinderbox that dwells within our hearts!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

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Patrice Leconte

Director

Juliette Binoche

Madame La

Daniel Auteuil

The Captain

Emir Kusturica

Neel Auguste

Michel Duchaussoy

The Governor

Philippe Magnan

Judge Venot

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Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 10, 2003

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 22, 2002

Full Review

Richard Nilsen

Arizona Republic

A work of art that immerses you in a time and place so completely that it could be a documentary.

Apr 20, 2001

Full Review

Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

Each of the actors smoulders with quiet strength.

Oct 15, 2019

Full Review

Jeffrey Overstreet

Looking Closer

Few films have set up the contrast between the cruel machinery of human justice and the piercing glory of Christian mercy more starkly and profoundly.

Rated: A-

Jan 15, 2005

Full Review

Pablo Villaça

Cinema em Cena

Protagonizando uma histria emocionalmente complexa, Binoche, Auteuil e Kusturica conferem peso dramtico aos seus personagens, apesar da direo distante de Leconte impedir que o espectador se envolva intensamente com a trama.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 25, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

An emotionally-charged romantic epic about an extraordinary woman poised between two extraordinary men at a pivotal moment in time. Set in 1850 on the desolate and intensely beautiful island of Saint-Pierre, the film is a powerful and provocative examination of grand passions and their consequences. A single twist of fate sets the plot in motion, establishing that the twin forces of character and destiny can work together to alter lives in unexpected and even unimaginable ways.

Director: Patrice Leconte
Screenwriter: Claude Faraldo
Distributor: Trimark Home Video, Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Epithète Films, France 3 Cinéma, Cinémaginaire Inc., France 2 Cinema
Rating: R (Brief Violence|Scene of Sexuality)
Genre: Romance
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 19, 2000, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.2M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)