La vie de bohème
France, Finland, Sweden, Italy / 1992
Director: Aki KaurismäkiScreenplay: Aki Kaurismäki
Adapted from Henri Murger's The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter (Scènes de la vie de Bohème ,1851)
Cinematography: Timo Salminen
Editor: Veikko Aaltonen
Set design: John Ebden
Costume design: Simon Murray
Sound: Jouko Lumme, Timo Linnasalo
Assistant directors: Gilles Charmant, Pauli Pentti, Nathalie Herr
Production managers: Klaus Heydemann, Gilles Sacuto
Music: Damia, Sacy Sand & Ossi Aallon orkesteri, Mauri Sumén, The Fake Trashmen, Pjotr Tšaikovski, Little Willie John, Marcel Mouloudji, Serge Reggiani, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Georg Ots, Anssi Tikanmäki, Toshitake Shinohara
Cast: Matti Pellonpää, André Wilms, Kari Väänänen, Evelyne Didi, Christine Murillo, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Carlos Salgado, Alexis Nitzer, Sylvie van den Elsen, Gilles Charmant, Dominique Marcas, Samuel Fuller, Jean-Paul Wenzel, Louis Malle, André Penvern, Maximilien Regiani, Daniel Dublet, Philippe Dormoy, Louis Delamotte, Kenneth Colley, Joëlle Jacquet, Michel Jacquet, Antonio Olivares, Helene Brousse, Sanna Fransman, Monique Goury, Jacques Cheuiche, Simon Murray, Mark Lavis, Irmeli Debarle, Jacques Leobold, Veikko Nieminen, Konsta Väänänen, Paula Oinonen, Anssi Tikanmäki, Piitu the dog, Laika the dog
Producer: Aki Kaurismäki
Produced by: Sputnik Oy, Pyramide Productions S.A., Pandora Film
Duration: 103 min.
Set in France and the dialogue spoken in French, Kaurismäki's adaptation of Henri Murger's novel Scènes de la vie de Bohème (Bohemians of the Latin Quarter) tells of the life struggles and friendship of Rodolfo (Matti Pellonpää), an Albanian painter, Marcel Marx (André Wilms), a writer, and Schaunard (Kari Väänänen), a composer, in the twists and twirls of life filled with art and poverty. Rodolfo falls in love with Mimi (Evelyne Didi) but gets deported when his residence permit expires. Later Rodolfo returns to the country illegally, but their harsh bohemian lifestyle repeatedly tests their romance. Mimi becomes seriously ill, and the three artists do everything to find the money to pay for her care. When Rodolfo visits Mimi at the hospital, she asks him to go outside and pick flowers for her. When Rodolfo returns to her room, Mimi is dead. Rodolfo says to his friends waiting outside that he wants to be alone and walks off.