| Success Is the Best Revenge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jerzy Skolimowski |
| Written by | Jerzy Skolimowski Michael Lyndon Michel Ciment Harriet Pacaud Barbara Elster |
| Produced by | Jerzy Skolimowski |
| Starring | Michael York |
| Cinematography | Mike Fash |
| Edited by | Barrie Vince |
| Music by | Stanley Myers Hans Zimmer |
| Distributed by | Gaumont Distribution |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Countries | France United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £983,000 |
Success Is the Best Revenge (French: Le succès à tout prix) is a 1984 French-British drama film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski and starring Michael York. It was entered into the 1984 Cannes Film Festival.
Cast
- Michael York as Alex Rodak
- Joanna Szczerbic as Alicia Rodak
- Michael Lyndon as Adam Rodak
- Jerry Skol as Tony Rodak
- Michel Piccoli as French Official
- Anouk Aimée as Monique des Fontaines
- John Hurt as Dino Montecurva
- Ric Young as Chinese Waiter
- Claude Le Saché as Monsieur Conio
- Malcolm Sinclair as Assistant Stage Manager
- Hilary Drake as Stage Manager
- Jane Asher as Bank Manager
Production
Success Is the Best Revenge was filmed in London. As the film's producer, Skolimowski decided to mortgage his house (which featured in several scenes) in order to raise funds for the project; when it failed to recoup the investment costs at the box office, he declared himself bankrupt and was forced to sell his home, subsequently leaving Britain for the United States.
Although refraining from starring in the film himself (opting to cast Michael York as his alter ego Alex instead), Skolimowski chose to cast his wife Joanna Szczerbic as Alex's wife and his sons Michał and Jerzy (appearing pseudonymously as Michael Lyndon and Jerry Skol respectively) as Alex's sons Adam and Tony.
References
- "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 29.
- "Festival de Cannes: Success Is the Best Revenge". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- Ewa Mazierska, 'Autobiographic Discourse in the Films of Jerzy Skolimowski', Kinema (Fall 2008). openjournals.uwaterloo.ca. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
External links
| Films directed by Jerzy Skolimowski | |
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- 1984 films
- 1984 drama films
- 1984 independent films
- British drama films
- British independent films
- English-language French films
- Films directed by Jerzy Skolimowski
- Films with screenplays by Jerzy Skolimowski
- French drama films
- Films scored by Stanley Myers
- Films scored by Hans Zimmer
- 1980s English-language films
- 1980s British films
- 1980s French films
- English-language independent films
- 1980s French film stubs
- 1980s British film stubs