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Depardieu Incorporated The biggest box office attraction in the hexagon causes controversy with his off-screen forays into the world of le business, Le Point magazine reports. With his bulbous nose and meaty countenance, Gérard Depardieu seems an unlikely movie star. But in France, his large shoulders alone support a good chunk of the country's commercial film industry, says Le Point. The magazine devoted a cover story to the workaholic actor, who stars in Claude Berri's "Astérix et Obélix," the most popular film ever made in France (8.5 million tickets sold and counting), along with others in the all-time top 10 list, including "Jean de Florette," "Germinal" and "Cyrano." Depardieu, whose latest film is "Un pont entre deux rives," now commands 10 million francs a picture, more than any other French star. However, critics fret that he hasn't appeared in any worthwhile films since "Cyrano." This has led to the suspicion he is churning out films to support a secondary career as a businessman, dabbling in wine in the Loire Valley and investing in a dubious oil exploration project in Cuba. In an interview with Le Point, Depardieu denies being a businessman and says his movie income gives him the freedom to indulge his "passion for wine." His château de Tigne, producing 350,000 bottles of Anjou wine annually, is not a money-making scheme, he says. He acknowledges that he has probably lost all the cash (about $1 million) he sunk into the Cuban venture. But he says he invested the money to help a friend (Gérard Bourgoin, the poultry magnate), not to speculate. In the process he has learned about the oil business and met Fidel Castro. Although no oil was found, "I really enjoyed myself." Together over Kosovo While critics deplore French involvement in the Balkans, the country's co-habiting leaders put aside differences to present a united front on Kosovo. The Balkans conflict has dominated the pages of the French press, with much criticism aimed at France's role in NATO's aerial attacks of Yugoslavia. Popular opinion, however, appears solidly behind President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, who have supported the efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, says L'Express. The two leaders, though representatives of two opposing parties (conservative and socialist), are an "exemplary tandem duo," playing leading roles in what most French people believe is a just cause, says the magazine. The reason is a "genuine revolution in thinking: the defence of human rights has become valued above all by our developed countries." The position of Chirac and Jospin marks a break in the tradition, led by past president François Mitterrand, of French alliance with Serbia. Despite the prolongation of bombing and the plight of refugees from Kosovo, the overwhelming majority of people support the new French position, a poll for L'Express shows. The April survey says 79 percent approve of Chirac's actions in the Kosovo affair, while 73% back Jospin's actions, though the magazine notes that opinion could change as events unfold. Apparent support for the war effort hasn't stopped other French politicians and commentators on the left and right from bitterly lamenting NATO's actions, perceived as being dictated by the US, and calling for a solution "made in Europe." Help for les hommes? A new mag offers French men the kind of feel-good advice their opposite numbers have been getting for years. After publishing versions in 15 other countries, Rodale, the American publishing group, has launched its Men's Health magazine in France. Although the title is in English ("prononcez 'maine selsse'" posters promoting the publication helpfully say), the articles are edited in Boulogne and for the most part written by French journalists, even if many of the photos and the health "facts" are furnished from the USA. The first issue offers a potpourri of advice along the lines of Cosmopolitan. In addition to tips on how to stay fit and eat well, the magazine's first issue counsels men on how to have great sex, how to dress for success and how to be a "superman" with snappy ideas on how to change a diaper and unhitch a bra strap with one hand. How well this will go down with les hommes de France remains to be seen. The publisher is aiming initially for a circulation of 100,000. New cabs for Paris Cycle-power propels passengers around the city centre but Le Nouvel Observateur doubts the new form of transportation is for les vrais Parisiens. Yellow kabuki cabs have been spotted around the great sights from la Concorde to la Madeleine, passing by the Opéra, place Vendôme and the Louvre pyramid. The tricycles, pedal-powered by musuclar students, can transport one or two people in a plastic cab. Don't be deceived, says Le Nouvel Observateur, this new form of transport, which will never replace regular taxis, is a service "essentiellement touristique." Hebdo for the Métro Commuters will soon have something different to read while shuttling beneath the earth's surface. A new underground magazine rolls off the presses this month. A Nous Paris, a 32-page free weekly, will be distributed exclusively in Paris's 220 Métro and RER stations. Billed as a "city magazine" with practical information about local goings-on and culture, L'Hebdo du Métro is being published by Métrobus in a joint venture with RATP, the regional transit authority. With an initial circulation of 350,000 copies, the advertiser-supported tabloid is aimed at active commuters, particularly women, among the 2.5 million passengers who take the Paris subway every day. |
