The Blue Bicycle / La Bicyclette Bleue Laetitia Casta the story.

 

La Bicyclette Bleue

se the pictures, read the story.


La Bicyclette Bleue (eng: The Blue Bicycle)

Produced bye: Thierry Binisti for  France 2, France 3 and Geteve.  Produced in 2000.for Franc television. (the most expensive European production  at the moment) 

Based on Regine Deforge’s bestseller. 

With  Laetitia Casta as Lea Delmas, Georges Corraface as Francois Tavernier, Virgile Bayle as Laurent A, Silvia De Saints as Camillie, Jean-Claude Brialy as Raphaël Mahl and many more.

 

 

 
 

The Story:

Part 1

 
 

Lea tells she loves Laurent Lea after she knows about Laurent & Camillie Lea on her new bicycle with her sister She uses the bike a lot. Sometimes it goes wrong!

This is a nice picture

The film starts right before WW2 in 1939/40. Lea Delmas (18) lives with her family at her family's vineyard in Montillac. She is in deep love with Laurent, whom she has loved since she was a kid. When she tells him,  he lets her down. Laurent is in love with Camille, Lea’s best friend. All this is coming up at her 18th birthday. One good thing happens that day, she gets a nice blue bicycle from her father. The war is drawing nearer to France and Laurent is going to Paris with Camillie. Laurent is a lieutenant in the army and will soon be sent to the frontline. Because of war Laurent & Camille decide to engage. At the arrangement  Lea tells him that she loves him, and that she will get him back.

And another bike picture of Lea.

Lea , without her bike. Lea right before she knows that Laurent is engaged with Camillie. Her father tells her. Lea and Laurent right after she has heard about the engagement, she is a little upset at the moment. How could he do...

Lea and Camillie.

 After Laurent and Camillie goes to Paris Lea comes after, only to find out he has already married Camille, and they are expecting a child. (Time is running fast in this film, five years in 4.5 hours) Lea is totally broken, she didn't get a chance to win him at all.  At the same time she meets the mysterious François -a friend of Laurent. He tells he is working  for the government.  He goes right on and starts to win Lea's heart (only a few minutes after they met). Lea is not interested. She thinks he is stupid, and right now all her thoughts are with Laurent.  

The German army attacks France, and Laurent has to go to the frontline. He asks Lea to stay with Camille in Paris, to look after her and the unborn baby. She accepts, on the condition that when his thoughts go to Camille, he has to think about Lea too. Lea and the French army can't stop the German army, and the German army is standing just outside Paris..... Lea, Camillie and a friend soon find themselves leaving Paris in François' car. Together with many others on the road from Paris they are attacked by airplanes (Messersmits-109) and many people dies -including their friend in the car. Camille is soon going to have her baby and things are going very critical. They face death - many times. Lea is doing a great job to help Camille. And in an abandoned farm, helped by German soldiers and a German doctor, Camille gets birth to her little boy. The boy is called Laurent on Lea’s request.          

As this happens, the French army is forced to lay down their arms.  Lea and Camille are very afraid as they stay the night in another abandoned farm -out nowhere. But it is a small world, and suddenly Francois shows up on a motorbike. At this moment Lea tells him she won't die before she has made love.... and they do. The next day François joins the girls on the run back home. On a bridge they come under fire- from Germen soldiers! In the action François comes apart from them. At last they (Lea, Camillie and little Laurent ) reach Montillac. 

Lea in Paris.

Laurent tells Lea that he is married.

Lea in Paris.

Lea in Paris again.. François Tavernier. Lea just after the air strike, a total chaos Lea stop's German soldiers to get help with Camillie's  childbirth . During the birth.

It's done. Little Laurent.

End of Part one.

The rush for home.

 Lea and François in his car on the way back home.

 Lea  The trouble at a bridge where she lost contact with François  Lea, finally at home with her father.  
 

Part 2 

 
 

Lea on her blue bicycle. Again. Again. And Again. Lea and Francois at a Cafe.  Not all French were among the "good" ones.

Soon German soldiers come to Lea's family home (a big vineyard with a rather big house) The soldiers occupies some of the rooms in the house.  Lea is rather hard to Camille, whom she thinks has stolen her love- the love  she never is willing to give up.  She meets Francois again at a cafe, and cant quite find out what he is doing. Has he joined the Germans, or.. ? She confronts him about her suspicions, but the reply is rather dull. In an explosive scene they make love again. Laurent, who has been captured by the Germans, has managed to escape and arrives Montillac. He then meets his son for the first time. Avoiding getting shot, Laurent has to stay low, and gets hidden in their big house. Lea tells Laurent that she still loves him and will do so forever. (at this moment its difficult to know what Laurent feels) 

Laurent, Leas father and uncle joins the résistance, and when Lea finds out she joins them too. Lea is soon one of them, using her blue bike to deliver messages around. It's dangerous work, as Gestapo and some of the French bad guys is making life hard.  

Lea at home.
Lea and the résistance.
Lea and the résistance Lea and one of the resistance. Lea tells Matthias that she don't love him. Lea and Raphaël on the party in Paris. Lea and Raphaël on the party in Paris, again. When she meets Francois.

Lea’s sister falls in love with the German captain living in their house. And when the soldiers leave for Russia she is pregnant. A shock for Lea’s father.  At this time Matthias, Lea's friend from childhood, has come home from prison in Germany. He loves Lea and wants to marry  her, but she declines, since she doesn't love him. He can't quite realize it. Lea joins her sister and her sisters newborn baby in Paris. On a party with Raphael (a friend she meets in Paris, some earlier )  they meet the mysterious man Francois again. (he also seems to be a  friend of Raphael ) He is together with some German officer. Lea is confused and  suspects him for working for the Germans, but, as Francois says, things are not always as they seem . The next day Raphael comes to her door wounded, in need of help getting away. Lea invites him to  Montillac. On their way back home she is shocked to find out that Matthias has joined the Germans. Before they leave, Lea gets a radio transmitter from the resistance, she is to take it home for use in her group. When they get home, Gestapo finds out about the radio. Raphael takes her place and gets arrested, and are later  killed by the Gestapo.

Laurent is ordered to London by the French resistance, and Lea who has had hard times the last year- seeing many people she loves getting killed-embraces Laurent, only to get caught  by Camille. Camille is shocked, she thinks Lea is taking Laurent from her. She gets disappointed and angry. Lea is broken, (you will feel sorry for her now) Of course Laurent tells the truth; he loves Camille. But he also tells that he has grown up with Lea and they are inseparable. For Lea, things are going from bad to worse. She visits Laurent at his hiding place before he goes to London. They start touching each other and soon they make love. (she is afraid to not see him again, and she still love him) On the way back home that night Matthias is waiting for her, and rapes her right in front of her home, Montillac.  

Talking with Francois.
Dinner with Francois.
Lea sees the radio.
 

End of Part two.

 Raphaël wounded at Lea's home. Raphaël & Lea Lea with her father, asking him "were her life vent". Lea and Laurent during their love scene.  
 

Part 3

 
 

Lea. And Lea Lea at home. Lea at home. Lea sleeping after loosing her father.

Francois in Paris.

Of course her father finds out about it. And with the help of the résistance they strike back. They attack (her father and some men) a place where the bad ones are staying. During the attack some of the bad ones are killed, included a German officer. Matthias manages to get away. Next day the German army strikes back with  taking on some citizens and threaten to execute them at 18.00-  if not the responsible turn in. Lea’s father, can't let this happen and goes to town for giving him self in. At the same time it comes to some action. Relatives of the victims try to set them free and it comes to an exchange of fire.  And Lea’s father  is hit by a deadly shot before he can tell the truth. Lea comes only to find  her dead father straight after….. now she is all alone, there is not much left of the strong girl you meet at the beginning of the film. A little later she is asleep at home when Francois comes by, he has heard the news, he can't tell why or how he knows, but writes down his address to Lea.

After a while Gestapo finds out about Camille and Laurent, they arrest Camille and torture her. Lea visits her at the prison and understands that Camille will not survive for much longer. She has to do something. Lea goes to Paris to find Francois with German officers. She does not know what to believe, is he with the enemy? Francois tells Lea that he has done what he can to help Camillie, but he can't get her out of prison. At night they make love, she tells him about what happened between her and Laurent and what Matthias did. Before she leaves for home he asks her for a meeting after the war. The answer he gets is: "a meeting for the living or for the dead?”  

From the love scene with Francois.

From the love scene with Francois.

Lea leaving Paris for home. Matthias takes on Lea. Lea straight before Camillie comes from prison. Warned bye the résistance.   Lea, Laurent jr. and the blue bicycle.

Lea and Laurent jr. on the run.

The only thing she can do now is to turn to Matthias who has earlier sold his soul to the Gestapo, and also raped her badly just a short time earlier. This time she gives herself to him "willingly",  in exchange for Camille's freedom. He takes her, and you can clearly see her pain and deep sorrow.

At least Matthias keeps his word, Camillie is coming home to Lea and little Laurent jr. The year is now 1944, and Gestapo is working hard to get rid of the resistance. They find out about Lea, Camille and the résistance, and come after them. This time Lea is lucky, they get warned and manages to flee  Montillac just before the soldiers come.  They join a résistance group and hide there. She now starts an active role with the resistance. One night she meets the unknown leader of the resistance. ''Mayenne'', the head of the resistance of the South-western network to which Lea's group belongs:  is no other than Francois. Now at last, she knows, he is on the right side. Francois, who from the beginning has told her straight forward that he loves her has to go back to Paris.

One fine morning, the resistance gets caught by the French Gestapo men. A hard fight starts. Camille gets killed when she runs for her little boy. Leas uncle dies too, when he throws his body over a hand grenade. Matthias is among the attackers, and find himself close to kill his own father who is among the résistance. He turns against his own Gestapo friends and has to flee. In the action, Lea manages to flee herself with little Laurent. She finds Matthias dying. She is the last  thing he's ever seeing, and the last words he  can hear is Lea’s desperate words “what has this war done with us, Matthias.”

Lea flies far away with little Laurent, and after some days they are standing face to face with a bunch of soldiers. This time it’s the US-Army, on their way to Paris. For France and Lea the war is over, she is glad but empty inside. In Paris she finds Laurent with the other soldiers, he is so glad to see Lea and his son, but not so glad when he finds out what happened to his wife.

Some time after this, Laurent asks Lea if she is still in love with him. Lea (poor girl) is just  all empty inside and has no more love to give. She has just before that received a letter from Francois, who tells her that he loves her , and that he wants to give her his love. He also tells, that this is his last try and if she still loves Laurent, he wishes her a happy life with him. Laurent drives her back to Montillac, which was ruined by the Gestapo, just before the liberation.

Lea walks slowly through the house, not happy at all. From a window she sees a man standing in the garden. The man is Francois. Finally the sun shines on the poor Lea, as she finds herself  in the arms of  Francois. 

And that's the end.

 

Lea and Laurent jr. on the run.

The Americans has arrived.

From the liberty of Paris.

Lea and Laurent jr. in Paris

Lea outside her home
     

End of Part three.

Lea outside her home.

Lea inside her home, just before she sees out the window. A lucky end for Lea and Francois.  
 

From the making of the film, and some not catalogued pictures:

 
         

Laetitia & Thierry Binisti Laetitia & Thierry Binisti Laetitia Laetitia & Regine Deforge Laetitia
Laetitia Laetitia Laetitia & Georges Corraface Laetitia Regine Deforge 2 x Laetitia
     
Laetitia between the shoots. Not the same as in part one above.        
 

 

 
Interviews and comments:    

 

Feedback from you?

Have you seen the film? And want to shear your thoughts with other readers. Pleas send me an e-mail and I will add your comments.

You can read other visitors comments below!

 

Read a interview Laetitia made after the release of "The Blue Bicycle" with France 2.     
   

Kindly translated to English by GOLDFINGER.

   

   
         
               
 

 

 
         

Some videos you should take your time to watch:

From part one, Lea's first kiss.   Lea tells Francois what happen between her and Laurent   A summarizing of the film, good.
   

7 Mb of  very good quality.

  3.2 Mb of  very good quality.  

6.6 Mb of medium  quality.

         

From part one, Lea and Matthias.

  From the making of the film.    
     
0.8 Mb of poor  quality.   0.8 Mb of poor  quality.    
         
Some new photos.
Lea Lea & Camillie from part 1

Comments from visitors who has seen "The Blue Bicycle"


From Guenther in Germany, he saw the film and read the book!
     
To understand the film better i brought the book in German. It's interesting to read it, but the story is very different to the film. The book finished in 1942 with a very open end. Laetitia is playing Lea much more different and sensitive than you will find the character in the roman.

In the film you see the inner fight from Lea very good between her love to Laurent and to know that he is married with Camille (Just in the end of part II). I think  this conflict Laetitia played very good in the different feelings she had. In the book Lea is just in the beginning a very superficial and selfish girl who is changing that during the war. The book finished with the dead of her father (he got crazy and died on a heard attack because his wife was killed during the war) and Lea stands on the end between Laurent and Francois without a clear decision. (also Camille don't die in the book)

Laetitia was acting Lea really good (just for her first big film) and she has talent - and is looking really nice! 


     

 

 
 
 
 
 
                             
 
 

My personal opinion: The film is absolutely worth seen, it's exciting and very good made. I think this film shows clearly that Laetitia Casta is a great actor if she get the right role.

If you have some additional information / pictures, or find some of the information is wrong. Or that I have used copyright pictures- Please e-mail me.

 

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