FILM REVIEWS

Ivory Coast

Arthur Cohn Production

In 1976, the 21th year of the foreign-language Oscar category, the five nominees were: Black and White in Color from the Ivory Coast, Cousin, Cousine from France, Jacob, the Liar from the Federal Republic of Germany, Nights and Days from Poland, and Seven Beauties from Italy.

“Seven Beauties,” directed by Lina Wertmueller, the first woman to be ever nominated for Best Director, and starring Giancarlo Giannini, was expected to win, but instead Jean-Jacques Annaud’s satire took the top prize in this endlessly controversial category.

Set during WWI, “Black and White in Color” tells the story of a group of French colonialists in West Central Africa.  Upon the outbreak of hostilities, a French trading post finds itself at odds with a formerly peaceful German post, for the only reason that their respective parent countries are at war.

The xenophobic French traders attack the Germans, but fail. Socialist Jacques Spiesser is appointed in charge of the French contingent, discarding his former high ideals he was so proud of.

Shot on location on the Ivory Coast, “Black and White in Color” (originally titled in French “La Victoire en Chantant”) won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

This feature directing debut put on the map Annaud, who later helmed the popular adventures “Quest for Fire” (1979) and “The Bear” (1988), but also the disappointing literary adaptation “The Name of the Rose” (1986), followed by “The Lover” (1992) and “Seven Years in Tibet” (1997), starring Brad Pitt.

Running time: 100 Minutes.

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud.

Released: September 22, 1976.

DVD: Jun 24, 2003

Cast

Jean Carmet as Sergeant Bosselet

Jacques Dufilho as Paul Rechampot

Catherine Rouvel as Marinette

Jacques Spiesser as Hubert Fresnoy

Dora Doll as Maryvonne

Maurice Barrier as Caprice

Claude Legros as Jacques Rechampot

Jacques Monnet as Pere Simon

Peter Berling as Pere Jean de la Croix

Marius Beugre Boignan as Barthelemy

Baye Macoumba Diop as Lamartine

Klaus Huebel as Haussmann

Aboutbaker Toure as Fidele

Marc Zuber as Major Anglais

Dieter Schidor as Kraft