Chocolat
Urged by the stirrings of the north wind, Vianne travels far and wide liberating others by dispensing ancient remedies just as her ancestors did for generations before her.
Mayor Comte Paul de Reynaud guides the people of one quiet, French village along the straight and narrow path of righteousness just as his ancestors did for generations before him.
Vianne (Juliette Binoche) is aided by the two-thousand-year-old Mayan recipes of chocolate sweets that possess the 'power to unlock hidden yearnings and reveal destinies.' The count (Alfred Molina) uses tradition and the church teachings to preserve a continuity of conduct and, therefore, a sense of tranquility in the villagers’ lives.
When Vianne sets up shop in the village at the time of Lent, she and the count cross paths and a crusade begins. As the villagers’ excursions alternate between the chocolaterie and the confessional booth the crusade intensifies. Five weeks later one speck of chocolate brings peace to the village.
While most villagers are in church on this first Sunday of the season - dedicated to abstinence, reflection and sincere penitence - Vianne and her daughter, Anouk (with her imaginary kangaroo), arrive at Armande’s door in their red-hooded capes seeking to rent the dilapidated pastry shop near the center of town. Here they encounter a cranky, old woman (Judi Dench). The year is 1959.
One by one Vianne becomes acquainted with the villagers when their curiosity brings them to her chocolate shop. She asks each one to tell her what she sees in the plaque Vianne sets spinning on the counter. From their answers and her keen observations she discovers their temperaments, interests and concerns. Then she foretells which chocolate treat is their favorite and offers a sample to them.
Vianne learns that Armande is a tired and lonely woman, mother to the count’s secretary, Caroline, who forbids her to see her grandson. Caroline feels that Armande is a bad influence on Luc because Armande, among other things, doesn’t 'worry so much about suppose to.'
Like Vianne’s brownies, Luc holds a fascination with the dark bitter essence of life but has the artistic potential to create beauty when prompted by loving devotion. Monsieur Blerot and his little dog, Charly, are attracted to the widow Audel, who is in prolonged mourning for her late husband. Yvette is yearning for adventure. Josephine (Lena Olin) is the insecure and abused wife of the café owner, Serge.
When the count stops by to get acquainted, Vianne unabashedly admits that she doesn’t attend church services and has never been married. This admission coupled with her offerings of forbidden indulgences convinces the count that she must be driven out of the village.
In this effort he spreads gossip (disguised as concern), rewrites the young priest’s sermons to instruct the parishioners to abstain from chocolate and outright forbids the villagers to speak to Vianne.
In today’s language we would say that the count is suffering from control issues. There’s no doubt that he cares for his constituents. But he adheres to a strict code of propriety and expects the same from everyone else.
Having been taught that every person is born with guilt, his eye is drawn to the villagers’ noncompliant ways. Thus he feels duty bound to banish from the village all temptations including unorthodox persons, ideas and activities.
The count even goes so far as to disparage the priest’s choice of songs that he sings while shoveling snow. As we will see, his outlook on life will lead to unintended consequences and destructive temptations that even he will be too weak to resist.
Vianne loses no time in befriending Armande who breaks out in laughter after one sip of hot chocolate spiced with a hint of chili peppers. With ingenuity Vianne brings Armande and Luc together over a book of wretched poetry.
Monsieur Blerot learns that Madame Audel has a weakness for chocolate sea shells. Yvette is sent home with unrefined chocolate nibs to awaken her husband’s passion. And with tact and rose-crème-filled chocolates Vianne begins to break through Josephine’s fear and isolation.
Late one night Josephine escapes an assault from Serge and takes refuge with Vianne. The count reproaches Vianne for abetting Josephine in abandoning her marriage sacrament. When she shows him Josephine’s bruised forehead he sets out to reform Serge. On the opposite side of town Vianne helps to heal Josephine’s broken spirit by teaching her the culinary art of chocolate.
Meanwhile a group of gypsies dock their boat on the banks of the river Tam bordering the village. The count is successful at influencing the people to shun these river wanderers. Conversely, Vianne befriends Roux (Johnny Depp), the boat captain, and sets about discovering his favorite chocolate treat.
Despite her failing health Armande convinces Vianne to prepare a seventieth birthday party for her. The menu includes shrimp cooked in shaved chocolate, asparagus and roasted foul covered with chocolate sauce. The guest list includes those who have been befriended by Vianne. Roux is invited, and the dessert of chocolate cake is served on his boat.
Having been rejected by Josephine when he came asking for reconciliation, an angry Serge sees his wife dancing at the party on the river and rushes to tell the count. The crusade takes a calamitous turn when Serge misinterprets the musings of the count and sets in motion a potentially deadly act risking the lives of the partygoers.
Taking her cue from the north wind Vianne prepares to leave the village but reconsiders when she discovers her new friends in the kitchen repaying her kindness. The count sees them there in support of Vianne’s Easter Sunday festival and plots to put an end to the chocolate temptation once and for all.
Instead he gets his just desserts. With laughter and tears (by the character and possibly the movie viewer) the count accepts humility in the face of his own humanness. Early the next morning he finds that Vianne is above all a forgiving and compassionate person.
To be constantly under surveillance by those in search of flaws causes one to be on guard against criticism and, therefore, undermines the confidence required to expand one’s horizons. Sadly, a person’s preoccupation with the flaws of others can restrict one’s capacity to see the worth and the needs of those under surveillance.
Vianne’s generosity of spirit and acceptance of others enabled her to see beyond the nonconformity of the people she met in the little village. By embracing the entirety of a person she was able to nurture the yearnings of each new neighbor and help her/him find fulfillment and peace.
It is the young priest who, with wisdom beyond his years, rescues the count and brings about 'a new sensation... a lightening of the spirit' to the villagers. His Easter morning sermon introduces a new measure of goodness to the people, one that affirms the human spirit and gives it flight.
Chocolat was nominated for eight Bafta awards including Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Juliette Binoche; Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Rode, Judi Dench and Lena Olin; and Best Screenplay.
It was nominated for five Oscar awards including Best Picture; Best Actress, Juliette Binoche; Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Judi Dench; Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published; and Best Music, Original Score.
Released in 2000 Chocolat features a large cast of talented actors portraying a diversity of characters whose ages span six decades.
As the story progresses their lives swirl together in ways that challenge, encourage and celebrate one another. Laced with scenes of large bowls of swirling chocolate and luscious sweets, Chocolat cooks up a classic message and delivers a delicate treat to all chocolate-loving, classic movie fans.