The Horseman on the Roof

Set in Provence in 1832 during a cholera epidemic, The Horseman on the Roof follows Angelo Pardi, a young Italian colonel and revolutionary who is being hunted by Austrian agents. After crossing paths with Pauline de Théus, a married noblewoman trying to reach her husband, he offers his help, and the two travel together through a region gripped by disease and unrest, encountering people whose conduct brings out both the best and the worst in them.

Jean-Paul Rappeneau directed and co-wrote the film, his fifth feature and the one that followed his 1990 Cyrano de Bergerac. He wrote the screenplay with Nina Companéez and Jean-Claude Carrière. Juliette Binoche plays Pauline, with Olivier Martinez as Angelo, and the supporting cast includes Pierre Arditi, François Cluzet, Jean Yanne and Isabelle Carré. The production, backed by Canal+, France 2 Cinéma and Hachette Première, had a budget of about 35 million dollars, a large figure for a French period film of its time.

Released on 20 September 1995, the 135-minute film earned roughly 1 million dollars worldwide, far below its cost. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.0 from around 6,600 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.5 from about 160 votes. The critics' rating of 6.5 from 19 reviews is close to the audience scores on both platforms.