[FILM REVIEW] THE DIVINE SARAH BERNHARDT Review (2025)

Summary: Sarah Bernhardt, dubbed “La Divine,” became the first global celebrity. The actress broke social conventions through her bold character and dramatic performances.

Year: 2025

Cinema Release Dates:  17th July 2025 (Australia), TBA (Thailand), TBA (UK), 25th April 2025 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: TBA

Country: France, Belgium

Director: Guillaume Nicloux

Screenwriter: Nathalie Leuthreau

Cast: Sarah Bernhardt (self), Alix Blumberg Dit Dleurmont (Catherine de Lorenzaccio), Samuel Brafman-Moutier (Jules Huret), Amira Casar (Louise Abbema), Jessica Cressy (Maria), Sylvain Creuzevault (Edmond Rostand), Pauline Etienne (Suzanne), Bruno Fleury (Reynolds), Maxime Gleizes (Edouard), Sacha Guitry (Self), Clement Hervieu-Leger (Georges Clairin), Arthur Igual (Emile Zola), Sandrine Kiberlain (Sarah Bernhardt), Laurent Lafitte (Lucien Guitry), Theodore Le Blanc (Sacha Guitry – child), Gregoire Leprince-Ringuet (Maurice Bernhardt), Arthur Massault (Antoine), Arthur Mazet (Sacha Guitry), Mathilde Ollivier (Charlotte Lyses), Sebastian Pouderoux (Samuel Pozzi), Nico Rogner (Sigmund Freud), Laurent Stocker (Pitou), Yuriy Zavalnyouk (Alphonse Mucha)

Running Time: 98 minutes

Classification: TBC (Australia), TBC (Thailand), TBC (UK), TBC (USA)

OUR THE DIVINE SARAH BERNHARDT REVIEWS

Kyle McGrath’s The Divine Sarah Bernhardt Review

It is March 1923 and a woman who was at one point the most beloved, most adored and most wealthy actress in the world lays on her death bed. Weakened, half delirious and surrounded by mourners Sarah Bernhardt (Sandrine Kiberlain) was once considered “la Divine”. In many ways she forever will be.

A decade earlier and Sarah was in aother sick bed awaiting amputation. A horrid injury she suffered from a fall on stage had plagued her leg for years and it had now gone gangrenous. As her guests and part-time lesbian lover Louise (Amira Casar) are in tears around her Sarah remains in high spirits, losing a leg? Whatever. Her fan mail includes German death threats due to her Jewish heritage? Nothing but idiocy on some bigots behalf. Sarah maintains the dignity of an actor of her calibre and status. 

Joined by Sacha Guitry (Arthur Mazet), a young man like a second son to her, she recounts the heartbreak she put his father through. Lucien Guitry (Laurent Lafitte) is her long time leading man, a title for his presence on stage but also in Sarah’s private life. While she has had a husband, many paramours and broken uncountable hearts none compare to the love they shared. As well never as horrible as she was to him on what should have been another jubilant night of celebrations…

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) may just have been the blueprint for what would be the superstar/diva celebrity as we see them today. Fabulously rich, the target of admiration and idolisation worldwide, a life embroiled in scandal and a fierce advocate for human rights and feminism. While some Jews were hiding their ancestry she was proudly outspoken about it. Flipping the Shakespearean era’s standards of males playing female roles Sarah was on stage as the lead in Hamlet. Her turn to film now makes her the earliest ever born person with a star on the Hollywood walk of fame!

Yet not so many non French speakers have even heard of Sarah Bernhardt’s name or legacy. But we have heard of that of writers Alexandre Dumas (The Three Musketeers), Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), Edmond Rostand (Cyrano de Bergerac) to name a few. Writers who adored the abilities of their leading lady as Englishmen like Oscar Wilde & Mark Twain called her “the Incomparable One”. 

With this we can see now why writer Nathalie Leuthreau and director Guillaume Nicloux were so enthusiastic to give a glimpse of the artist’s life. A glimpse because ‘The Divine Sarah Bernhardt’ is not really a biopic in the traditional sense. Even a heavily abridged retelling of Sarah’s story should last twice as long as this piece actually does. So with such an giant in play the film highlights two moments: the celebration of “Sarah Bernhardt Day” and the amputation of her leg. With the emotional core being the turbulent relationship between Sarah and her co-star lover. 

Sandrine Kiberlain is floating on air as this celebrity idol progenitor. We see her at some of her most private and raw times but also as the life of the party, seeing that “divine” may be something of an ironic title. Theatrical and electric yet deeply flawed a woman boasting of her monetary success almost belonging to a completely different world.

It is all wonderfully conceived thanks to the costume design by Anaïs Romand and production design by Oliver Radot. We’re transported to the highest echelons of Parisian society as it was just before being ravaged by world wars. Sarah’s abode is like something from Xanadu (the Citizen Kane one), with a plethora of exotic pets (snakes, owls, wild cats etc) collected or gifted to everyone’s beloved at the height of her celebrity. 

We unfortunately never really get to see Sarah on stage however. Bernhardt was a stage thespian of such magnificence, such esteem that her performances may as well have been rated based on how many members of the audience fainted that night! But times have certainly changed and what was seen as incredible at the turn of the 19th century may be judged incredulously today. 

Leuthreau & Guillaume aware and perhaps a little self concious of this fact choose to avoid showing the greatest actress of the time, you know, ACT. A shame as it would have allowed for another dimension to Kiberlain’s damn near perfect delivery. Being able to see that this woman who is already larger than life on so many levels is even moreso on the stage.

The focus of ‘The Divine Sarah Bernhardt’ being on her on again off again love affair with Lucien showcases the great chemistry between Kiberlain & Lafitte. But the effect is lessened by the flashback framing of the story. At least we know they must reunite at some point, it’s already shown to us as clear as day. More fascinating is the rift between Lucien & his son Sacha, what caused it and will they be brought together again as Sarah hopes. But these questions are not explored and just get resolved in epiloguial voice over.

Much like the woman herself there are a few rough ends to ‘The Divine Sarah Bernhardt’. Still it’s a beautiful snapshot of a landscape far too broad to be captured entirely. Some of Sarah Bernhardt’s experiences are conveyed giving us but a gist of this icon’s life. With a fittingly extravagant performance by Sandrine Kiberlain and costume design to match. 

So perhaps it was the correct approach after all to not tell a traditional biopic, as many eulogies have begun; “How do you summarise a life?”. How do you tell the story of an actress who in her 60s lost a leg and still achieved more in her remaining years than many actors ever will? ‘The Divine Sarah Bernhardt’ does it in its own way and does a fairly great job at it.

Kyle’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

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