The Great Arch
2025
Drama / History
1h44
Frédéric Ries rated ★ 7/10
🎬 Stéphane Demoustier signe un drame captivant sur l’architecte danois Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, propulsé en 1983 à la tête du chantier pharaonique de la Grande Arche de la Défense, voulu par François Mitterrand. Ce film présenté à Un Certain Regard à Cannes 2025 excelle par son réalisme documentaire et son format immersif, mêlant satire politique et portrait d’artiste intransigeant. Claes Bang est magistral en Spreckelsen puriste et rigide, face à Swann Arlaud pragmatique et un Michel Fau nuancé en Mitterrand. Un film intelligent à voir pour les fans d’histoire et de cinéma engagé. C'est le premier grand chantier high-tech en France, reflet des ambitions mitterrandiennes. 🎬 🎬 🎬
Synopsis
1983. The biggest architectural competition in history, both anonymous and open, is launched under the impetus of a new socialist president, François Mitterrand. Coveted by all the biggest international architectural firms, the competition is surprisingly won by an unknown: Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, an architecture teacher from Copenhagen. Until then, the fifty-year-old Danish had only built 4 buildings: his home and three small chapels.
Community Reviews
Viewers are captivated by 'The Great Arch,' a film that delves into the dramatic and political complexities of a monumental architectural project in Paris. The film is praised for its historical depth, strong performances, and the poignant portrayal of an architect's struggle against bureaucratic and political obstacles. However, some viewers felt the film was overly guided, lacking in imagination, and sometimes slow, with a focus that might be too narrow for those interested in broader historical or technical contexts.
👍 Strong performances and historical depth
👎 May feel overly guided and slow
