Saturday, April 10, 2010

My Dinner with Andre


The art-house hit of 1981, My Dinner with Andre depicts a dinner conversation between friends Wally and Andre who have lost touch over the years and are finally catching up with each other. The movie focuses on the conversation between the two men, most of which is Andre’s recounting his search for the meaning of life, but they do actually have dinner: Andre orders terrine de poisson (fish pâté) and cailles aux raisins (roasted quail with raisins); Wally has the quail also, preceded by potato soup; a small green salad and bread accompany each entrée; they also order red wine; and they finish the meal with espresso and, in Wally’s case, a shot of amaretto. While not a “food” movie, My Dinner with Andre does offer the viewer much existential food for thought.


Released October 11, 1981
Starring Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory
Directed by Louis Malle
Written by Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory
Awards: 1982 Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay (Shawn and Gregory)

Fun Fact:
My Dinner with Andre is the longest dinner scene in film history.

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