588 Rue Paradis (Mother) (1992)

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This family drama is the sequel to director Henri Verneuil's autobiographical film, Mayrig. It takes place some forty years after the end of the previous film. In the earlier film, a young man has moved with his family to Marseilles from Armenia and is adapting to his new country to the best of his… More This family drama is the sequel to director Henri Verneuil's autobiographical film, Mayrig. It takes place some forty years after the end of the previous film. In the earlier film, a young man has moved with his family to Marseilles from Armenia and is adapting to his new country to the best of his ability. This tends to put him in conflict with his traditional Armenian family. Nonetheless, they are all hardworking and loving. Now, forty years later, the lead character (Richard Berry) has changed his name to Pierre Zakar, because it is easier for the French to pronounce and relate to. He has also become a very successful playwright. His aged parents (played by Omar Sharif and Claudia Cardinale) still live a modest existence under their original names in Marseilles. They have come to Paris for the premiere of their son's play. Conflict arises because Pierre, thinking to honor his parents by housing them in a five-star hotel, has affronted them by not inviting them into his home. He and his father speak some harsh words to one another, and the father dies before Pierre can tell him his true feelings. In order to repair his conscience, Pierre subsequently spends a lot of time with his mother and buys her a very posh house in her old neighborhood. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi