My Dinner with Herve, written and directed by Sacha Gervasi - Eight out of 10

My Dinner with Herve, written and directed by Sacha Gervasi

Eight out of 10

Looking at the title of this biographical drama, one might think of My Dinner with Andre – that sounds pretty close to Herve, doesn’t it? – only the meal with Andre is in a different category and directed by a classic, Louis Malle.

Having said that, it must be stated that the encounter with, eventful evening spent in the company of Herve Villechaize, portrayed by the even more famous, talented Peter Dinklage is rewarding.

The other major player in this drama is Danny Tate aka Jamie Dornan, a journalist who has serious personal problems, faces a termination at his office and is supposed to interview Gore Vidal.

Danny used to be an alcoholic that is counting the days since he has stopped drinking and when he tells Herve that he has had thirty two days without a drop, the latter is correct in assessing there is still a problem if the days are so carefully counted.

Indeed, when he arrives at the hotel where he stays before supposedly meeting Gore Vidal, he calls the reception to ask for the alcohol in the room’s minibar to be completely removed – obviously fearing he would not fall into temptation again.

When the hotel does not do that, a day later, the journalist carries the mini bottles outside the door and throws them there, remembering what happened one night, when he got so drunk that he took a woman home, started having sex with her and his wife came in, with their baby in her arms.

Ever since- psychology would argue that it is actually before that that things had started to fall apart, an affair is a consequence, symptom of a deteriorating, potentially terminally ill relationship and not the cause as is generally thought- his wife has wanted to separate.

Danny Tate meets with Herve Villechaize, a once celebrated actor that has acted in The Man with the Golden Gun with Roger Moore and became ever more famous after starring as Tattoo in the series Fantasy Island.

Since after this encounter he is twenty minutes late at his appointment with Gore Vidal, the journalist faces a scene, the acclaimed writer is not just furious, but determined to leave without any interview.

This is a calamity for the reporter, his job is on the line and therefore he tries to arrange for an extension, another return ticket and hopes he would still be able to return with his assignment completed.

Meanwhile, Herve Villechaize offers a tremendous opportunity, the chance to have the last interview of the former star, who starts telling the story of his life, how his parents were normal people, he was born in Paris, France and as a child the doctors have discovered that he suffers from a rare disease and hence he would not be able to grow.

The vertically challenged young man discovers soon that he is a talented artist, he paints and loves women, who in turn are frequently very attracted to him, in his future life as a celebrity he would become a womanizer, involved in multiple affairs.

The courageous, determined, resilient and gifted young man decides he wants to be an actor and the key to success is to get his foot in the door of the most accomplished agent, Marty Rothstein aka David Strathairn, who receives a very outré visit, from a small man with a knife that scares the secretary.

After a showy entrance, a rather frightening appearance with a weapon in his hand, Herve puts up an act, declaims some lines, comes to the drawer where the agent keeps the pistol he was ready to use and convinces this man to represent him.

After the success of the James bond movie, which was however not savored by his mother, who thought the part of the son to be demeaning and offensive, there is another Launchpad for the intrepid French artist, represented by the series Fantasy Island.

This is where he would play the role of Tattoo, against the leading man of the show, Ricardo Montalban aka Andy Garcia, a presence for which he would receive a great sum of money, $ 35,000 per week, which could be close to twice that much in today’s currency.

The two performers would have an uneasy relationship, some conflicts, because in the interpretation of Herve Montalban was jealous, hated the fact that he had affairs with so many beautiful women and his success in general.

His agent has a different perspective, emphasizing that Ricardo Montalban was actually helpful, warning his co-star when he was about to walk off the set after a bad marriage breakup that this would have serious, grave consequences.

My Dinner with Herve is very good, even if given the choice; My Dinner with Andre would be a better, more instructive, sophisticated, intelligent, thought provoking option.