Movie: The Great Arch

It’s always a good sign when after seeing a movie ‘inspired by true events’ you want to learn more.

This could well be the case for viewers of the French movie The Great Arch.

The movie tells of the trials and tribulations of Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen while designing Paris’ famous Great Arch of La Défense.

Spreckelsen was the surprise winner of an international design competition launched in 1982 by France’s then president François Mitterrand.

The Arch was Mitterrand’s flagship project and he took great personal interest in all aspects of its development especially ensuring the building matched and complemented the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe.  The Great Arch follows what happens after Spreckelsen’s victory.

The movie starts with the announcement of his win, one of several funny scenes. It confuses Mitterrand (Michel Fau) and the project’s bureaucrats as no one has heard of Spreckelsen, not even the Danish Embassy!

The project’s managing bureaucrat Subilon (Xavier Dolan) eventually finds Spreckelsen (Claes Bang) at his Danish home. We then learn Spreckelsen is a lecturer in architecture with very little practical experience in major projects, although he has designed a couple of churches.

As Spreckelsen and his wife Liv (Sidse Babett Knudsen) quickly discover, winning the award is the easy part of the project. Dealing with budgetary constraints and the French bureaucracy proves far more challenging than Spreckelsen ever imagined.

Not helping his cause is his determination not to compromise on his original plan, a decision supported by Mitterrand who loves everything about Spreckelsen’s design.

Initially there is one compromise – while Spreckelsen wants to use a Danish site manager he is persuaded to use fellow architect and Frenchman Paul Andreu (Swann Arlaud), designer of the futuristic Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle airport.

However, Spreckelsen is determined neither his vision for the Arch nor materials used in construction will change no matter how impractical or, more importantly, costly those around him including Andreu and Subilon argue they are.

His ability to fight for his initial plan suffers a major blow when Mitterrand loses the general election resulting in the loss of Spreckelsen’s only supporter in Government.

His subsequent behaviour as he watches his original plan decimated has a devasting impact on his life, although in reality not as portrayed in the movie.

As research after seeing the movie reveals the final scene was one of several ‘creative’ additions to Spreckelsen’s story – the main one being the addition of wife Liv!

Given much of The Grand Arch is taken up with debates between architects, politicians and bureaucrats over the design of a French monument, it’s unlikely the movie will have huge general appeal.

However, for those who enjoy some great acting (Bang is excellent as the determined and prickly architect) and are interested in the story behind the Great Arch of La Défense or the challenges involved in designing a national monument, it provides a fascinating insight even given the creative license taken.

The Great Arch officially opens in cinemas on October 1 with advance screenings scheduled for the weekend of September 25 to 27.

*Photo credit: ©Julien Panie ¸2025 Agat Films, Le Pacte.