Playing fast, loose with Chekhov

There have been many attempts to bring Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s seminal drama “The Seagull” to the screen. The results have been decidedly mixed. Sidney Lumet’s 1968 feature failed to capture the Chekhov magic despite a first-rate cast headed by Vanessa Redgrave and James Mason. Slightly more effective was PBS’ 1975 version starring a young Frank Langella and Blythe Danner.

Now the French are having their way with the classic tale.

But Chekhov would probably blanch if he caught the opening scene of “La Petite Lili,” a very loose adaptation of the play that opens Friday in limited release. The provocative nude love scene between the young Lili (Ludivine Sagnier) and the classically handsome Julien (Robinson Stevenin) quickly sets the erotic tone for director Claude Miller’s (“The Little Thief”) contemporary take on the 19th century drama.

Set over one summer in the French countryside, “La Petite Lili” stars Sagnier (“Swimming Pool”) as a seductive country girl who yearns to move to Paris so she can become a movie star. She’s even made an experimental film for Julien, the temperamental son of an aging, spoiled movie actress (Nicole Garcia).

Added to the dysfunctional mix is a hack director (Bernard Giraudeau) who has set his sites on seducing Lili; the actress’ bon vivant older brother (Jean-Pierre Marielle); and a shy young woman (Julie Depardieu) who pines for Julien.

Miller also plays fast and loose with the structure of “The Seagull,” adding a postscript set five years in the future.

“La Petite Lili,” which opened in 2003 in France, was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. And Depardieu, the 31-year-old daughter of French film legend Gerard Depardieu, received two Cesars -- the Gallic equivalent of the Oscar -- for her performance (best supporting actress and most promising actress).