Cast
Honoré de Balzac: Gérard Depardieu
Charlotte-Laure: Jeanne Moreau
Eve Hanska: Fanny Ardant
Madame de Berny: Virna Lisi
Laure d'Abrantès: Katja Riemann
Victor Hugo: Gert Voss
Anna Hanska: Katja Studt
Adèle Hugo: Marianne Denicourt
Eugene Sue: Sergio Rubini
Count Hanska: Gottfried John
Dr Nacquart: François Marthouret
Plissoud: Claude Rich
Paradis: Pascal Vannson
Charles Sedillot: Hervé Briaux
Supervisor Bossu: Didier Lesour
Balzac (child): Enguerran Demeulenaere
Carter: Cédric Chevalme
Sergeant: Franck Manzoni
Foreman: Jean-François Lapalus
Leon: Saturnin Barré
Coffee merchant: Yves Penay
Player: Cyril Anrep
Tailor: Franck de la Personne
Gosselin Editor: Roland Blanche
Gosselin Editor: Michel Pilorgé
Printer: Albert Dray
Printing workman: Stephan Midaven
Goldsmith: Dadzu
Newspaper employee: Rene Smotek
Sergeant Major: Sébastien Thiery
Old officer: Jacques Seiler
Werdet editor: Dominique Besnehard
Anna Hanska (child): Lucie Volmanova

That French national treasure Gérard Depardieu returns to our screens in this sumptuous film based on the life of the writer Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).

Also starring Fanny Ardant, Virna Lisi and Jeanne Moreau, this lavish costume drama recounts the life of the author of La comédie humaine through his relationships with women, beginning with his demanding mother, who disapproves of her son's career and lifestyle. Then there is the string of lovers, fairly obligatory for a 19th century French novelist, ranging from the mature Madame de Berney (Virna Lisi) who is gentle and undemanding, to the married, aristocratic Countess Eva Hanska (Fanny Ardant), and the final great love of his life, Mademoiselle Hanska, with whom his relationship is cut tragically short.

Depardieu captures the novelist's Dickensian status as an encyclopedic chronicler of his age with his characteristic flair and attention to detail.