Molière’s Last Stage (2024) (aka Le Molière imaginaire) is a film about the last performance of legendary French playwright/actor Molière (Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, 1622-73, author of Tartuffe and The Bourgeois Gentleman, among many famous plays). Molière famously died “on stage” while performing in a comic role as an invalid (he actually died several hours AFTER the play, but he did collapse on stage). The film basically takes place as this performance goes on, which involves conversations/interactions before the play and also backstage during — but because Molière is ill (tuberculosis), he hallucinates people and situations from his past.
The film takes an arty, stagey approach to things, which is appropriate given the content. Everything was filmed in one continuous single shot, on a soundstage with a recreation of the Théâtre du Palais-Royal so the camera can pan past walls and floors, which is all pretty amazing on a technical level! I wasn’t RIVETED by the storyline — I feel like this film was very much made for a French audience, and I don’t know if I love aging-tortured-artist-dies-slowly; I admit to giving up before the last 15ish minutes. But if you’re into theater or just like the concept, I think you’ll enjoy it.
The costumes were designed by Yvett Rotscheid, and I’m not sure if it’s because my feed has been inundated by photos from Venice Carnival, but I didn’t mind the fact that they were sometimes a more theatrical take on the 1670s than was historical. There’s a LOT of “aging character wears too much crusty makeup,” some weirdly 18th-century elements, and a very red-focused design to things, but overall I got what she was going for and found it successful, visually.
As Molière plays an invalid, he’s frequently in a dressing gown and nightcap:
There’s a LOT of interaction with his boy-toy (actor Michel Baron), who Molière (and everyone else) is obsessed with, who is initially naked in a bathtub filled with milk wearing a floral crown, and later wearing Contractually Obligated Leather Pants and rockstar black shirt with necklace combo that’s very modern:
Molière’s wife (actress Armande Béjart) is mostly concerned with him being un-excommunicated before he dies (all actors having to renounce their profession before their death if they want last rites). She wears a very pretty 17th-century style corset as a bodice, complete with tabs on display (they should be tucked into the skirt if this were an actual gown, plus there would be sleeves!):
Hallucinations show Molière’s first grand amour, actress Madeleine Béjart (mother of his future wife, awkward!). She’s in a very 18th-century-style corset with hair that’s kind of 1660s, kind of Victorian porcelain shepherdess:
There’s lots of interesting costumes on minor characters:
So, give Molière’s Last Stage a whirl if this sounds like your jam!
Have you seen Molière’s Last Stage? Do you like arty and stagey?
Find this frock flick at:
It’s a little more complicated than this. Molière had an affair with madeleine but he married Armande, who was Madeleine’s SISTER, not her daughter. Their mother, Marie Hervé, had 10 children and Armande was the last, born in 1642 while her brother Benigné was 2 years older, and Madeleine 24 years older. A rumor said that Armande was madeleine AND Molère’s daughter so he was incestous when he married her BUT it’s just a rumor
Well marrying her little sister is still Bad Form (To say the least), but at least accusations of incest seem to be mere slander & libel.
Not going to lie, the bit where it’s suggested that Monsieur married the daughter after shacking up with the mother really, really killed my interest in this particular person and his movie.