The Edge of the Blade

2023 1h 41m FR

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 96

DramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In 1887, at a time when duels are in vogue in Paris, Clément Lacaze and Marie-Rose Astié meet. He's a charismatic master of arms; she's a feminist, far ahead of her time. Clément gets caught in a spiral of violence and decides to initiate Marie-Rose in the art of dueling. The two must work together to save face. How far will they go to defend their honor?

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Roschdy Zem
Clément Lacaze
Doria Tillier
Marie-Rose Astié de Valsayre
Vincent Perez
Louis Berchère
Guillaume Gallienne
Eugène Tavernier
Damien Bonnard
Ferdinand Massat
Noham Edje
Adrien Lacaze
Pepe Lorente
Gustavo De Borda
Myriem Akheddiou
Louise

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Vincent Perez
Writers: Vincent Perez, Karine Silla, Pierre-Emmanuel Chatiliez
Languages: French
Countries: France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Vincent Perez, shot by Lucie Baudinaud. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Sacha Galperine. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sylvie Lager shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Roschdy Zem and Doria Tillier and Vincent Perez carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt28106865 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 96 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Vincent Perez directs. Lucie Baudinaud behind the camera. Sacha Galperine scores. Sylvie Lager cuts. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 3 years ago.
2Directed by Vincent Perez, shot by Lucie Baudinaud. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Sacha Galperine. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Sylvie Lager shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Roschdy Zem and Doria Tillier and Vincent Perez carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt28106865 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 96 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
8Released under 18 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Lucie Baudinaud
Original score: Sacha Galperine
Editing: Sylvie Lager
Production design: Jean-Philippe Moreaux
Costume design: Madeline Fontaine
Makeup / hair: Lucrèce Touret
VFX supervisor: Aurelie Lajoux
Sound: Olivier Guillaume
Stunt coordinator: Michel Carliez
Runtime: 101 min · 1h 41m
Status: Released
Original language: FR
IMDB: The Edge of the Blade (2023)

Also by

Vincent Perez

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-12-05
★ 7/10
With the twentieth century looming, duelling was banned in France. However, as many still considered it the only honourable way to settle disputes between gentlemen, it still went on pretty much unfettered. Swordsmanship skills were still highly sought after, and one such master “Lacaze” (Roschdy Zem) attracted many to the school of his friend “Tavernier” (Guillaume Gallienne). His naive nephew, “Adrien” (Noham Edje), meantime, has taken a shine to a young lady and when that leads to an altercation with “Col. Berchère” (auteur Vincent Perez), it seems the latter man is determined to demand reparation. Facing a fairly hopeless task, he turns to his uncle for help, but what chance he can do much to help in the forty-eight hours allowed before the fight? On the other side of the city, feminist “Astié” (Doria Tiller) is fed up being told that she can’t wear trousers without a prefectorial edict! She writes pithy and sarcastic letters to the newspapers, but is usually derided by the likes the pompous publisher “Massat” (Damien Bonnard). Hearing of the duel, and of it’s subsequent result, she decides that there is no reason why women can’t demand satisfaction, so challenges “Massat”. Of course he cannot fight a woman, but this starts in motion a scheme that might see “Lacaze” exact his own form of retribution - one of a juicily humiliating kind. I quite enjoyed this dramatisation as it quite successfully ridiculed the sexism that existed at the time, and the nonsensical notions of “honour” amongst cowards, thieves and bigots. Tiller delivers engagingly as she mixes her politics with a sexy femininity and a decent right hook; Zem hasn’t much to say but maybe represents the last few remnants of what might once have been called chivalry and the production design provides for a convincing setting for épée, pistol and even the sabre to be rattled. There’s a tiny bit of romance, but not enough to intrude as we watch some occasionally quite impressive demonstrations of swordplay - complete with affectations, acrobatics and flamboyance.

Production companies