The Confessional

((LE CONFESSIONNAL) (Psychological thriller -- Canadian-British-French -- Color/B&W))

A Cinemaginaire/Enigma Film/Cinea production, with the participation of Telefilm Canada, Sogic, Quebec government, Channel Four Films, European Co-Production Fund (U.K.) and the Minister of Culture (France). (International sales: Polygram Film Intl. Classic.) Produced by Denise Robert, David Puttnam, Philippe Carcassonne. Co-producer, Steve Norris. Directed, written by Robert Lepage.

Pierre Lamontagne ... Lothaire Bluteau
Marc Lamontagne ... Patrick Goyette
Raymond Massicotte... Jean-Louis
Millette
Assistant to
Mr. Hitchcock ... Kristin Scott Thomas
Mr. Hitchcock ... Ron Burrage
Andre ... Richard Frechette

The Confessional," the feature debut from Quebec theater whiz Robert Lepage, is exactly the sort of stunning, eye-popping visual and sonic treat that one would expect from this innovative stage helmer. Film should score with upmarket auds familiar with Lepage's theater rep; strongest markets will likely be Canada and European territories, where he is best known.

With a psychological thriller that isn't the least bit stagy, it's clear that Lepage has had little difficulty making the move from the theater to the movie set. Where this engrossing French-lingo pic falters is at the script level: Plot lacks full dramatic development and, in the end, falls short of delivering the emotional depth necessary to move audiences. Still, there is no shortage of stylish highs along the way.

Lepage starts with the intriguing idea of setting story partly in Quebec City in 1952, when Alfred Hitchcock was lensing "I Confess" there. Pic opens with the sleepy, old-fashioned, picturesque city slowly moving into the modern era, thanks to the introduction of television and its first encounter with Hollywood via the Hitchcock production.

Hitchcock (portrayed by Brit look-alike Ron Burrage) is shown at the local preem of "I Confess," and Lepage's film, which is loosely inspired by the Montgomery Clift starrer, contains several scenes from the black-and-white Hitchcock original.

Throughout, Lepage keeps viewers on their toes by cutting between events in the early '50s and 1989, when lead character Pierre Lamontagne (Lothaire Bluteau) returns from China to his native Quebec City for his father's funeral.

At first, Pierre cannot find his adopted brother, Marc (Patrick Goyette). They finally meet in a beautifully shot, dreamy sequence in a gay sauna. Scene is just first of many visual tours de force that include numerous tips of the hat to famed Hitchcock scenes, notably the blood-running-down-the-drain shot from "Psycho."

The brothers search for Marc's real father, who initially is thought to be a parish priest. Marc's mother, Rachel, had refused to tell anyone who his father was; after tortured visits to the confessional, she gave birth and then committed suicide.

Pic keeps coming back to the making of "I Confess" as Hitchcock's assistant (Kristin Scott Thomas) negotiates with local church authorities and arranges auditions for the director.

If there's a problem with lack of emotional punch, it's at least partly due to Bluteau ("Jesus of Montreal,""Black Robe"), who once again delivers a sullen, doe-eyed performance. Goyette, as his brother, elicits much more sympathy.

Rest of cast is first-rate, starting with veteran Quebec thesp Jean-Louis Millette as a mysterious gent who makes even the most innocent act look twisted and deadly. Thomas doesn't have much to do as Hitch's girl Friday, and Burrage fortunately doesn't try to ham it up as Hitchcock.

The real stars are Lepage and his cinematographer Alain Dostie, who have crafted an exquisite visual landscape that captures the scary, mysterious feel of the piece with no small eloquence. Art director Francois Laplante also deserves kudos for picture-perfect '50s sets, and the editing team does an admirable job of blending the two time periods, often with split-second changes from one era to another.

Hip feel of the piece is heightened by cool rock score that includes Brit bands Depeche Mode and Portishead.

"The Confessional" looks like the work of someone who is completely at home in the bigscreen universe.

Camera (color), Alain Dostie; editor, Emmanuelle Castro; music, Sacha Puttnam; art direction, Francois Laplante; costume design, Barbara Kidd; sound, Nick Berry. Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (Directors Fortnight), May 18, 1995. Running time: 100 min.

With: Francois Papineau, Marie Gignac, Normand Daneau, Anne-Marie Cadieux, Suzanne Clement, Lynda Lepage-Beaulieu, Pascal Rollin, Paul Hebert, Billy Merasty, Marthe Turgeon, Renee Hudon, Andreanne Lepage-Beaulieu.

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