‘Bonnard, Pierre et Marthe’ sidesteps most of the pitfalls found in films about artists, getting straight to the heart of the matter and focusing on the artist’s partner.
The film also strikes the right distance for a close-up exploration of the work of a painter and for depicting the close circle of painters on the scene at the time (notably Claude Monet and Édouard Vuillard).
The exuberant natural surrounds along the rural banks of the Seine where the couple’s little house nestles, lunches on the grass with visiting friends, and the vivacity verging on comedy, all contribute greatly to the charm of the film. Martin Provost conducts this historical reconstruction with an eye dazzled by everyday treasures.
