La dame aux camélias

Marguerite Gautier is a famed Parisian courtesan who habitually carries camellias and moves through the city surrounded by wealthy admirers. She falls genuinely for the earnest Armand Duval, but their bond collides with family protests and the tight rules of respectable society. Weak from illness and weary of scandal, Marguerite makes choices that put distance between her and Armand, yet chance meetings and memories keep drawing them back into one another's orbit. Set in 19th century Paris, the film paints salons and riverbank rooms. Supporting figures, including Marguerite's devoted maid Nanine and Armand's protective father, complicate events and social pressure. Small decisions reverberate across their lives.

Released in 1997, the film was directed by Jean-Claude Brialy and adapts Alexandre Dumas fils' novel La Dame aux Camélias. Cristiana Réali and Michaël Cohen lead a cast that includes Valérie Mairesse, Roger Van Hool, and Laurence Badie, in French.

Box office figures for the 1997 release are not widely reported, and the film did not register as a major commercial success internationally. It appears to have had a modest theatrical presence, mostly within French-speaking markets, festival screenings were limited.

Though this 1997 version didn't redefine the story, it contributes to a long stream of adaptations of Dumas fils' novel. The camellia motif and the tragic courtesan archetype remain touchstones in film and theater, and the movie offers another period interpretation for enthusiasts of classic romance, appeals to period fans.

Critical attention was limited, with few wide reviews available, so consensus is hard to gauge. The film focuses on class, reputational pressure, sacrifice, and the effects of illness on intimacy. Performances by Réali and Cohen emphasize emotional restraint and the social cost of illicit love. It rewards fans of melodrama.