Monsieur Hire, a misanthropic and voyeuristic tailor, spies on his gorgeous neighbour Alice from across the street. The development of their relationship takes place against the backdrop of another plot, the unsolved murder of a local young woman. Monsieur Hire is hounded by a detective investigating the murder and is also eventually noticed by Alice. Hire propositions Alice to ditch her boyfriend Emile and run off with him to his little home in Switzerland, where he promises to take care of her.
Monsieur Hire is a 1989 French film directed by Patrice Leconte and starring Michel Blanc in the title role and Sandrine Bonnaire as the object of Hire’s affection. The film received numerous accolades as well as a glowing review from the American film critic Roger Ebert, who later added the film to his list of “Great Movies.”
The screenplay of the film is based on the novel Les Fiançailles de M. Hire by Georges Simenon and has original music by Michael Nyman. It is a remake of Julien Duvivier’s 1947 film Panique with Michel Simon. The film was entered in the 1989 Cannes Film Festival. It won the award for Best Foreign Film at the 27th Guldbagge Awards.
Monsieur Hire (1989)
Directed by: Patrice Leconte
Starring: Michel Blanc, Sandrine Bonnaire, Luc Thuillier, André Wilms, Eric Bérenger, Marielle Berthon, Philippe Dormoy, Marie Gaydu, Nora Noël
Screenplay by: Patrice Leconte
Production Design by: Ivan Maussion
Cinematography by: Denis Lenoir
Film Editing by: Joëlle Hache
Costume Design by: Elisabeth Tavernier
Music by: Michael Nyman
Distributed by: Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)
Release Date: May 24, 1989
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