A man falls in love with a horse, and it destroys him. French cinema, baby.
Commandant Gardefort, horseman at the Cadre Noir Riding Academy in Saumur, having given up hope of promotion decides to retire. To fill his time until then, he buys a mare, Milady, and in two years trains her to the highest dressage haute ecole standards. But he finds himself in dire financial straits over his divorce, and is obliged to sell the mare. She is bought by a rich Belgian banker, who transforms Milady into a circus horse. Visiting him, Gardefort resolves the situation in the only way he sees fit.
Acting
Dufilho's haunted eyes say everything dialogue won't.
Cinematography
Saumur's misty mornings look like heartbreak itself.
Director
François Leterrier
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
François Leterrier was a former assistant to Robert Bresson, and it shows in every restrained frame.
The real Cadre Noir provided horses and locations; those are actual French military riders you see.
FR
