Intersection ** (1994, Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Lolita Davidovich, Martin Landau, David Selby) – Classic Movie Review 13,593

Mark Rydell’s 1994 romantic drama film Intersection remakes the 1969 French film Les Choses de la Vie, and stars Richard Gere, Sharon Stone and Lolita Davidovich.

Director Mark Rydell’s 1994 romantic drama film Intersection is based on Paul Guimard’s novel Intersection and subsequent screenplay for the 1969 French film Les Choses de la Vie, and stars Richard Gere, Sharon Stone and Lolita Davidovich, along with Martin Landau, David Selby, Jennifer Morrison, and Ron White.

Vincent Eastman (Gere) has a serious car smash at an intersection speeding on his way to tell his travel writer mistress Olivia (Lolita Davidovich) that he is going to leave his wife Sally (Sharon Stone) to start a new life with her, and, while injured, reflects on his life.

Intersection is a cold, empty, dithering American remake of the plotless 1969 French film Les Choses de la Vie, this time wisely avoiding dwelling on the details of the car crash but failing to bring the characters to vibrant life or make all the details telling enough.

Gere is watchable but no match for Michel Piccoli in the original, while the stars actresses are interestingly cast against type, giving Davidovich the better part as the mistress, which she grabs eagerly, though Stone has little to do except act stoically as the wronged wife, a beautiful chilly heiress whom Gere can’t make up his mind whether or not to leave finally. Martin Landau is wasted as Gere’s boss.

Being beautifully photographed (by Vilmos Zsigmond) and well crafted, with a polished score James Newton Howard and sleek production designs by Harold Michelsom, makes it all very Hollywood professional. But that is not enough, and it is not the point anyway. The screenplay based on Paul Guimard’s original novel and screenplay is by talented David Rayfiel and Marshall Brickman. But they make many unnecessary changes to the story, undermining its subtlety, and some of the dialogue is very weak: how‘s this for a last line: ‘Well it’s goodbye then.’

It is set and filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Paramount Pictures had it ready for release in late 1993, but after poor test screenings, the release was delayed till 21 January 1994. It opened the same week as Mrs Doubtfire and Philadelphia, inevitably coming third at the US box office on its opening weekend. However, it survived poor reviews and did well to gross $21.3 million in North America and $40 million overseas, for a worldwide gross of $61.3 million against a $45 million budget.

Sharon Stone unfairly took most of the flack, winning Golden Raspberry and Stinker awards for Worst Actress.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,593

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com