Beaumarchais (Beaumarchais, l'insolent)

French biographical film Beaumarchais (in French Beaumarchais, l'insolent) dates from 1996 and comes from director Édouard Molinaro. A blend of comedy and drama, also described as a historical film, it runs about 100 minutes and was produced by France 2. It follows the life of the French playwright, financier and spy Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-1799). It is also known in English as Beaumarchais the Scoundrel.

Fabrice Luchini plays Beaumarchais, and the film concentrates on his activities during the American War of Independence and his authorship of the Figaro trilogy of plays. Sandrine Kiberlain and Manuel Blanc are the other leading names beside Luchini; Jean-Claude Brialy, Michel Serrault, Évelyne Bouix, Patrick Bouchitey, Alain Chabat, Claire Nebout and Florence Thomassin are also in the cast. Beaumarchais's wit and audacity sit at the heart of how the film portrays him.

The screenplay credits Molinaro, Jean-Claude Brisville and Sacha Guitry, and the film is adapted from an unpublished stage play by Guitry. Part of it was shot at the historic Hôtel de Besenval, which has housed the Swiss Confederation's embassy in Paris and the Swiss ambassador's residence since 1938. The German title is Beaumarchais – Der Unverschämte.