French Drama Series ‘The Red and the Black’: Passion, Power, Political Intrigue and Victor Belmondo’s Anti-Romantic Hero

“The Red and the Black,” an adaptation of Stendhal’s 1830 novel, follows the young Julien Sorel (Victor Belmondo) as he pursues greatness, rising socially beyond his modest upbringing while entangled in a web of passion, power and political intrigue.

Following screenings at Canneseries and the Italian Global Series Festival, “The Red and the Black,” produced by Siècle Productions for France Télévisions, makes its international market debut at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre, where it’s being sold by Wild Bunch.

The four-part series is directed by Gaël Morel, who reunites with Belmondo following their acclaimed 2024 relationship drama “To Live, to Die, to Live Again,” and written by Georges-Marc Benamou and Gilles Taurand, whose previous collaborations include “The Last Mitterrand” and more recently “The Plague.”

The creators found inspiration in the enduring qualities of Stendhal’s work.

“There is a universality to great literature, particularly 19th century French and Anglo-Saxon literature, from Stendhal to Jane Austen, who was almost Stendhal’s contemporary,” Benamou tells Variety.

“We can see young audiences going to cinemas to watch these adaptations again. It is literature of intense passions: free in its tone, its depiction of love, and its drama, yet often avoiding romantic sentimentality. In Stendhal’s case, Julien Sorel, the protagonist, is precisely an anti-romantic hero: an ambitious man whose aspirations are thwarted. That is what makes him both compelling and tragic.”

The story of an ambitious and calculating young man of modest origins trying to establish himself in circles of power dominated by ruthless and manipulative actors and confronted by great moral hypocrisy could very well be a tale of the 21st century.

The renowned work’s timeless themes have led to several big and small-screen adaptations over the decades, including Claude Autant-Lara’s 1954 version starring Gérard Philipe and the 1993 BBC series featuring Ewan McGregor in one of his earliest roles.

“There are indeed parallels with the present day,” Benamou adds. “This is part of the genius, and, once again, the universal appeal, of a great writer such as Stendhal, who was a dissenting voice in his own time.

“The parallels are clear: the return of moral conservatism, embodied by the Congregation of Catholic fundamentalists determined to destroy Julien Sorel; women constrained by society who choose to emancipate themselves; and the social determinism faced by this class defector, who is unable to escape his background. All of this, the resurgence of moral conservatism, stalled social mobility, and women’s emancipation, still resonates today in France, Europe and America.”

Morel stresses that the series “speaks more directly to contemporary issues: class defection, social determinism, and male–female relationships, which are especially modern in this work.

“Julien Sorel rises through society thanks to women, because they embody power. I think that the theme of class defection is at the heart of the modernity. Someone like Julien Sorel, struggling to rise through society, raises questions that remain very relevant in France today, particularly when we speak of social mobility, which may be even more stuck now than it was then.

“Unfortunately, it is a theme that remains contemporary and is likely to do so for a long time. Several of its themes therefore resonate with current events. There is also the return of obscurantism, embodied by the ‘black’ in the title.”

While enthusiastically embracing the material and its enduring themes, the production team faced a major task in transposing such a rich and complex novel into a television series.  

“The abundance of characters, settings, social classes and novelistic digressions made this a challenging work to adapt,” Morel explains.

“So, I would describe it as a variation on the novel rather than a faithful adaptation. Our aim was to focus on several aspects of the story and draw from them a clear, coherent storyline.

“The themes we chose to foreground strike me as remarkably contemporary. Gilles Taurand and Georges-Marc Benamou’s clever work, applying the conventions of serial storytelling to this variation, has given the work a much-needed ‘rejuvenation’ while remaining deeply faithful to its spirit.”

In casting “The Red and the Black,” the production team found their ideal lead in Belmondo, particularly for their more authentic take on the character of Julien Sorel. The cast also includes Camille Razat (“Emily in Paris”) and Virginie Ledoyen (“At Work”).

“Victor Belmondo’s great strength lies in the fact that he is an outstanding young actor who has developed a relationship of friendship and trust with director Gaël Morel,” Benamou notes. “This is their second film together, and Gaël and I felt that, with Victor, we wanted to find an ‘anti-Gérard Philipe.’ The distinctly romantic image associated with Claude Autant-Lara’s 1954 film has, to some extent, overshadowed Stendhal’s work. We wanted to return to the origins of Julien Sorel: a man whose ambition is thwarted both by his own limitations and by those imposed by others, an anti-romantic hero.”

Morel adds: “Victor Belmondo immediately struck me as the ideal Julien Sorel. His youthfulness and intensity, together with his ability to convey a brooding, determined quality, provide the perfect vehicle for capturing the essence of the character.

“Sorel is not a romantic hero, although he may adopt that persona to seduce. Behind his youth and impoverished social background lies a fierce ambition and an almost pathological need for recognition. This interpretation of the character, as a calculating, seductive, boastful young man who sees life as a conquest, seems to me the most accurate. It is far removed from the romantic, victim-like figure that has sometimes been presented in earlier adaptations.”

For Wild Bunch, “The Red and the Black” epitomizes what it sees as ideal content.

“While brand recognition is important, our ambition goes further: to develop a deep understanding of the constantly evolving needs of our international buyers and propose programs that deliver strong audience appeal while bringing families together around a shared story,” says Diana Bartha, head of international sales and acquisitions at Wild Bunch.

“‘The Red and the Black’ ticks all the boxes. Universal and modern, it appeals to audiences across generations and offers the familiarity of a well-established concept alongside a fresh, contemporary take. Its broad appeal, strong emotional connection and ability to unite viewers make it the ideal series for this season — one that needs no introduction.”