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Silk (2007 film)

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Wikipedia article




'Silk' is a 2007 Canadian film adaptation of Italian author Alessandro Baricco's 1996 novel of the same name. It was released in September 2007 through New Line Cinema and directed by 'The Red Violin' director, Franois Girard.

American actor Michael Pitt stars in the lead role of the French silkworm smuggler Herv Joncour, with English actress Keira Knightley as his wife, Hlne, a teacher and keen gardener. Japanese actors Miki Nakatani and Kji Yakusho are also featured. Exterior Japanese scenes were filmed in the city of Sakata. Knightley's scenes were filmed in Sermoneta, Italy, a small medieval village near Latina. Hlne's garden was filmed at Villa Lina, near Ronciglione.

Plot



The film opens with Herv narrating his observations of an unidentified Asian woman bathing in a hot spring, then stating that his story actually begins earlier, when he returned to his hometown in 19th century France while on leave from the army. He meets Hlne, a teacher, who wants nothing more than a garden and Herv, who wants nothing more than to marry her.

Local businessman Baldabiou, who runs three silk mills that support the town economy, is at risk from a European-wide silkworm disease. He convinces Hervs father, the mayor, to let Herv leave the army and marry Hlne, and in 1862 Herv travels to Egypt to purchase silkworm eggs.

Since the African silkworms are affected too, Baldabiou next sends Herv to Japan, even though it is dangerously closed to foreigners. The journey takes months, across thousands of miles of Europe and Asia. Once there, Herv is blindfolded and taken to a Japanese village where he can buy eggs from a local baron, Hara Jubei.

During his stay in the village he becomes obsessed with Jubei's unnamed concubine (the Girl).

Herv returns home with an ample supply of eggs. His compensation from Baldabiou makes him rich, and he purchases a large house and garden space for Hlne.

On his second journey to Japan, the Girl gives Herv a note in Japanese, and he has sex with another girl handed to him by her. Having traded more eggs than on his first trip, Herv delays his departure by two days in the failed hope of seeing the Girl again.

Back home, Herv seeks out a Japanese brothel owner in Lyon, Madame Blanche, known for giving the small blue flowers that she wears to her clients. He only wants her to translate the note for him, which reads: "Come back or I shall die." Madame Blanche advises Herv to "forget about her, she won't die, and you know it."

Baldabiou intends to send Herv to China, since Japan is no longer safe, but Herv insists on Japan. When he arrives, war has broken out and the village is abandoned. Jubei's servant boy shows Herv where Jubei and his household have gone. Jubei becomes hostile and tells Herv to go home, refuses to show him the Girl, and hangs the servant boy. Herv buys some eggs in Sakata, but his delays result in the eggs hatching, and all the worms dying, before he reaches France. The towns economy is ruined, though Herv hires many townspeople to expand Hlne's garden.

Months later, Herv receives a long letter from the Girl. He again takes the letter to Madame Blanche for translation, who agrees, providing Herv never comes to see her again. The letter is a deeply moving declaration of love, asking him to be happy in his life, as they will never be together again.

A few years later, Hlne becomes ill, dying, then dies in 1875, in her mid-30s. After her death, Herv finds a tribute of small, blue flowers on her grave. He seeks out Madame Blanche once more, believing her to have written the letter, but she reveals that Hlne had written the letter and asked Madame Blanche to translate it. Hlne knew that Herv was in love with a Japanese woman, and wanted him to be happy. Madame Blanche tells Herv that, more than anything, his wife wanted to be that woman. Herv finally realizes that it was Hlne who was his true love after all.

Hervs narration is revealed to be him recounting his story to Ludovic the son of a friend, the closest thing to a child that Herv and Hlne have had through the years. Ludovic, now a young man and Hlne's permanent gardener, has a greater appreciation for the love behind the garden.

Cast





* Michael Pitt as Herv Joncour

* Keira Knightley as Hlne Joncour

* Kji Yakusho as Hara Jubei

* Miki Nakatani as Madame Blanche

* Alfred Molina as Baldabiou

* Mark Rendall as Ludovic Berbek

** various as brief appearances of newborn, 2, 4 and 10-year-old Ludovic

* Sei Ashina as The Girl

* Kenneth Welsh as Mayor Joncour

* Jun Kunimura as Umon

* Toni Bertorelli as Verdun

* Callum Keith Rennie as Schuyler

* Carlo Cecchi as Priest

* Marc Fiorini as Mr Chabert

Reception



'Silk' received mainly negative reviews from critics, as the film holds a 7% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 reviews. It won the Genie Award for Costumes and Prix Jutra for Sound, Cinematography, Art Direction and Costumes.

References




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