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Moliere (Sony, $29.95) was one of 2007's overlooked gems. Out on DVD next week, the French film seems even better on a second viewing.

It's a frothy comedy in the vein of "Shakespeare in Love" and "Becoming Jane," but much more insightful than either of those films on how artistic genius transforms life into art.

Director and co-writer Laurent Tirard imagines what might have happened in the months in 1645 when history shows the twentysomething actor-playwright went missing after spending some time in debtors' prison after his theater troupe went bankrupt. A rich, social-climbing merchant (Fabrice Luchini), hoping to learn acting so he can win the heart of a witty but vain young widow (Ludivine Sagnier), bails Moliere (Romain Duris) out of prison to teach him. Instead, Moliere falls in love with the merchant's wife (Laura Morante), who, herself, tries to teach the earnest young playwright that he can have more impact on society by entertaining his audiences with comedy than boring them with the tragedy he's no good at performing.

There are only two special features on this disc, and, unfortunately, neither includes much background on the real Moliere and his influence. However, the extras we do have are top-notch.

A half-hour feature on the making of the film (in French with English subtitles) shows that the cast and crew had as much fun making the film as the audience has watching it. Observing that the movie is all about seduction in its various forms, Miss Sagnier says, "When actors are asked to seduce, they are happy."

Mr. Duris notes that Mr. Tirard resisted what must have been a huge temptation to make the sexy young playwright a 17th-century rock star. "He made him humble; he made him doubt," he says.

Mr. Tirard says he had to tread a fine line between comedy and drama, something Moliere himself did with genius. "Laughter is easier to fabricate, emotion is always a little magical," Mr. Tirard says.

The director wanted to make a "contemporary comedy in costumes." Expanding on his objective in a very helpful director's commentary, he talks about the locations, provides some historical background, points out which plot points come from which plays and identifies the moment when the film goes from fact to splendid fiction.

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