Also known as
Gainsbourg (vie héroïque) ("heroic life" in Fench). Surreal 2010 biopic about
Serge Gainsbourg, the French singer/songwriter, actor, and director. It begins during his childhood in Nazi-occupied France (he was the child of Russian Jews and was eventually forced into hiding) and follows him throughout his life (though the film is scant on specific details, so those unfamiliar with the man's work may be a little lost at times).
Tropes include:
- Animated Credits Opening
- Big Entrance: How Brigitte Bardot is introduced - her walking down a shadowy hall, the camera panning along her body and an instrumental of "Initials BB" playing all the while.
- Finger Suck Healing: Juliette Greco uses this on Serge.
- Hey, It's That Guy!: Doug Jones as La Gueule.
- Male Frontal Nudity: Serge, once or twice, and discreetly.
- Modesty Bedsheet: Used by Laetitia Casta, playing Brigitte Bardot, as she dances to a song Gainsbourg plays.
- Never Trust a Trailer: Most trailers milk the fact that Brigitte Bardot is a character, even though her screentime probably doesn't reach ten minutes and her segment is relatively self-contained. They also ignore the fantasy elements of the film.
- Not So Imaginary Friend: La Gueule's presence is never acknowledged by anyone other than Serge, but it still does things like dancing with Greco and setting fire to Serge's atelier.
- What Could Have Been: The movie was originally conceived to have Charlotte Gainsbourg, Serge's daughter with Jane Birkin, play him (which wouldn't have been out of place in the fairy-tale atmosphere of it). But six months into preproduction Charlotte said it was too painful and withdrew.
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