The film is the simple story of a woman having an extramarital affair with another man who has purchased a new mink fur coat that they need to hide from her husband. It plays into this woman in Claire (Virginie Vitry) who is given this fur coat from her lover Claude (Jean-Claude Brialy) as they would hide it to avoid suspicion from her husband Jean (Etienne Loinod). The film also features narration where it play into Claire’s need to be one step ahead of her husband as if they’re playing chess until a mix-up over the coat emerges.
Rivette’s direction is definitely stylish in the way he shoots on location in Paris as it serves as a template for a lot of the films that would be part of the French New Wave. While there are a few wide shots including some scenes inside an apartment, much of Rivette’s direction is intimate in the way he presents this affair but also Claire’s need to hide her affair from her husband as she also gets help from her sister Solange (Anne Doat). Rivette’s usage of medium shots and hand-held camera for scenes in a car add to this energy within the film as well as playing up the suspense right to the film’s ending as it does play like a chess game as it include some rhythmic cuts from editor Denise de Casabianca who employ ideas that would become the jump-cut. Shot in black-and-white by co-writer Charles Bitsch, Rivette would maintain a distinctive look that add to the film’s energetic tone that is supported by Francois Couperin’s playful orchestral score. Overall, Rivette crafts a delightful and exhilarating short film about an adulterous wife’s attempt to hide a fur coat from her husband.
The film’s ensemble cast features cameo appearances from future filmmakers of the New Wave in Claude Chabrol, Francois Truffaut, and Jean-Luc Godard as well as Rivette as party guests at the film’s ending along with a fantastic performance from Anne Doat as Claire’s sister Solange who is always wearing clothes that Claire needs to hide. Etienne Loinod is superb as Claire’s husband who seems to not know anything until later in the film where he starts to act suspicious. Jean-Claude Brialy is excellent as Claude as a smooth and charismatic man who thinks he is clever although he would make a mistake that would get them into some trouble. Virginie Vitry is amazing as Claire as this beautiful woman who feels like her husband doesn’t do enough for her as she loves being with Claude but things get complicated over a mix-up as she ponders if the affair is worth all of the trouble.
Le Coup du berger is a phenomenal film from Jacques Rivette. Featuring a great cast, riveting visuals, and an engaging study of adultery and one-upmanship, it is a short film that isn’t just fun but also serves as a template of sorts of the ideas that would define a new era in cinema that would become the French New Wave. In the end, Le Coup du berger is a sensational film from Jacques Rivette.
Jacques Rivette Films: (Paris Belongs to Us) – (The Nun (1966 film)) – (L’amour fou) – (Out 1) – Celine and Julie Go Boating – (Duelle) – (Noroit) – (Merry-Go Round (1981 film)) – (Le Pont du Nord) – (Love on the Ground) – (Hurlevent) – (Gang of Four (1989 film)) – (La Belle Noiseuse) – (Joan the Maid) – (Up, Down, Fragile) – (Lumiere and Company-“Une aventure de Ninon”) – (Secret Defense) – (Va savoir) – (The Story of Marie and Julien) – (The Duchess of Langeais) – (Around a Small Mountain)
© thevoid99 2022
Based on the book by Francois Truffaut, Hitchcock/Truffaut is a documentary film about the interview with filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock by Truffaut where the two talked about Hitchcock’s own films during this eight-day interview that Truffaut would make into a book. Directed by Kent Jones and screenplay by Jones and Serge Toubiana, the film is about the meeting that took place that offices of Universal Studios in 1962 where several contemporary filmmakers talk about that meeting and what it meant for the world of cinema. The result is a mesmerizing film from Kent Jones.
In 1962, French filmmaker Francois Truffaut went to Hollywood with a translator to meet the famed British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock following a series of corresponding letters where Truffaut praised the works of Hitchcock. The meeting that took eight days in the offices of Universal Studios where Truffaut would talk to Hitchcock about all of his films that would later become a book about Hitchcock and his work as a filmmaker. The film isn’t just about the meeting between the two filmmakers but also the book itself as it would be seen as something very influential to other filmmakers who would view cinema as a serious form of art and present Hitchcock as one of the great artists of the 20th Century.
The documentary would inter-cut not just footage from the many films of Hitchcock with some by Truffaut but also pictures of the meeting and interviews of filmmakers who were influenced by the book. From old-school masters such as Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, and Peter Bogdanovich to contemporary filmmakers like David Fincher, Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Arnaud Desplachin, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the filmmakers talk about the importance of Truffaut and several other French New Wave filmmakers who didn’t just cite Hitchcock as an influence but also talk about the depth of his work as a filmmaker as they felt audiences didn’t take his craft very seriously and only saw them as just suspenseful entertainment.
The film also features many audio tidbits of the meeting between Hitchcock and Truffaut as well as stories of a friendship that built where the two gave advice to each other about what to do with their respective films. Kent Jones also play into the different periods of Hitchcock’s career and how his work in silent films would do a lot for the films he would make in the emergence of sound. With the aid of editor Rachel Reichman in assembling some of the film footage and some rare footage of Hitchcock working on a film set. Kent showcases the artistry of what Hitchcock was doing with the filmmakers commenting on some of the things he was doing as well as provide discussions on some of his great films like Psycho and Vertigo.
With the aid of cinematographers Nick Bentgen, Daniel Cowen, Eric Gautier, Mihai Malaimare Jr., Lisa Rinzler, and Genta Tamaki as well as a team of sound mixers, many of the interviews are straightforward as it allows the filmmakers to showcase not just their love for Hitchcock and Truffaut but also delve into their reason into Hitchcock’s stature as a prominent artist. The American release features narration by Bob Balaban to discuss many of the aspects of the meeting between Hitchcock and Truffaut while the French release is narrated by Mathieu Almaric. The film’s music by Jeremiah Bornfield is superb for its mixture of orchestral music that play into the events of the meetings while music of the music soundtrack comes from the various films by Hitchcock and Truffaut.
Hitchcock/Truffaut is a remarkable film from Kent Jones. Not only is this a film that fans of cinema would want to see but it also displays something for casual audiences about the power of cinema and how a filmmaker wants to celebrate the work of another by showing the world of that man’s brilliance. In the end, Hitchcock/Truffaut is an incredible film from Kent Jones.
© thevoid99 2016
A founding figure of what became known as the French New Wave that would shape new ideas for cinema, Francois Truffaut wouldn’t just be one of the movement’s revered figures but also one of France’s greatest treasures. From the 21 feature films he made as well as four short films from 1955 to 1983, there was no filmmaker who explored the idea of love and youth better than he did. While he was only five films short of his actual goal upon his death in 1984 at the age of 52. The films he would leave behind as well as the legacy that he created would put him in the pedestal among some of the greatest figures in cinema.
Born on February 6, 1932 in Paris, France, Francois Truffaut was born to a single mother named Janine de Montferrand as he would be given a new last name through his step-father Roland Truffaut. Despite a complicated childhood where he would be raised by various nannies and his grandmother, it was a fulfilling one due to the time he spent with his grandmother. At the age of eight where he saw his first film in Paradise Lost by Abel Gance, Truffaut would become obsessed with cinema that would often get him in trouble in school as he would get expelled due to skipping schools to attend the cinemas. Among these cinemas he attended was the Cinemateque Francaise where it was run by Henri Langlois as Truffaut was exposed to many different types of films during this period.
More on this piece can be read at Cinema Axis as part 1 covers the French New Wave period and part 2 covers the post-New Wave period.
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel The Long Saturday Night by Charles Williams, Vivement dimanche (Confidentially Yours) is the story of an estates agent who is accused of murder during a hunt as his secretary tries to defend him despite her belief that he is guilty. Directed by Francois Truffaut and written by Truffaut, Jean Aurel, and Suzanne Schiffman, the film is a look into a man whose life starts to fall apart through all sorts of accusations as he is forced to team up with the one person who couldn’t stand him in what is Truffaut’s final film. Starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Fanny Ardant. Vivement dimanche is a truly glorious and whimsical film from Francois Truffaut.
When a real estates agent learns he’s being accused of killing a man during a hunt as his wife is also killed, he turns to his secretary for help despite the fact that he fired her as she reluctantly helps though she thinks he is guilty. Along the way, several revelations come to ahead when the secretary Barbara (Fanny Ardant) believes that her boss Julien Vercel (Jean-Louis Trintignant) might be telling the truth as it relates to his marriage as well as aspects about his wife. Since Julien is already a fugitive as he is forced to hide out in his own office, it forces Barbara to do the investigation where Julien would eventually help out as they deal with false leads and other things.
The film’s screenplay does play like a whodunit in some respects when it’s really about two people who don’t like each other as they’re forced to work together. Though the outcome into the development of their relationship is obvious, it does manage to be quite fulfilling since Barbara knows that Julien might be telling the truth. Even as she goes on trips to Nice to find out about his wife where it becomes clear that there’s other people doing similar investigations where there’s several people involved that might have something to do with these murders that Julien is accused of. While Barbara may be the driving force of the story as she does a lot to uncover the truth, Julien is an equal part as he is a man that knows he is flawed and despises his wife but he isn’t a killer. Even as he is seen as a guilty man because of the fact that the man who was killed is revealed to having an affair with Julien’s wife.
Francois Truffaut’s direction is definitely stylish in terms of its look where it definitely harkens to an old school feel of 1960s European cinema yet it manages to feel quite vibrant. While many of the compositions in terms of close-ups and medium shots are simple, they have this sense of energy in the way Truffaut presents these shots. Especially in the scenes involving Barbara and Julien in how they interact and work together. Truffaut’s approach to tracking shots as well as in getting the camera to capture the two characters into a scene are quite compelling where it starts off with either Julien and Barbara being dominant towards one another. Once the film progresses as the mystery unfolds with some elements of humor, the two become equal as does their relationship. While there’s also moments where the fourth wall is broken, it plays into how unveiling of the mystery as Truffaut isn’t afraid to put style over substance into a suspense film with bits of humor and romance. Overall, Truffaut creates a very entertaining yet witty film about a secretary helping her boss prove his innocence.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does exquisite work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its usage of stylish lights for some of the film’s nighttime exteriors as well as some of the interior scenes at a nightclub where Barbara would go to in a key scene in its third act. Editor Martine Barraque does excellent work with the editing as it definitely plays into an array of styles from jump-cuts, transition wipes, dissolves, and other styles to create something that feels whimsical and fun. Production designer Hilton McConnico does brilliant work with the look of the office that Julien and Barbara works at as well as Julien‘s posh home and the nightclub where Barbara would enter to find some key clues.
Costume designer Michele Cerf does wonderful work with the costumes in the clothes that Barbara would wear from a stage costume to some of the clothes she would wear where she pretends to be a hooker. The sound work of Pierre Gamet and Jacques Maumont is superb for some of the sound effects that occurs for some of the film‘s suspense including a key scene where sounds from Stanley Kubrick‘s Paths of Glory is used as it‘s playing in a movie theater. The film’s music by Georges Delerue is amazing for its mixture of playful orchestral music with some eerie pieces to play into its suspense along with lush pieces for its romance and humor.
The film’s fantastic cast include some notable small roles from Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko as a Slavic wanting to become a French citizen, Pascale Pellegrin as a woman Barbara interviews to be her replacement, Castel Casti as a taxi driver from Nice, Georges Koulouris as a private detective Barbara meets who is also investigating a case on Julien’s wife, and Anik Belaubre as a mysterious cashier at a movie theater whom Barbara and Julien believe is connected with the victim. Jean-Louis Richard is terrific as a mysterious nightclub owner whom Barbara sees in Nice and later in the town she and Julien live in while Caroline Sihol is wonderful as Julien’s wife Marie-Christine as this woman who constantly cheats on her husband as she hides a mysterious past. Xavier Saint-Macary is excellent as the photographer Bertrand who constantly shoots photos of events as he’s also a stage actor that Barbara is working with.
Philippe Morier-Genoud is superb as a chief inspector who leads the case as he immediately suspects Julien over the murders. Jean-Pierre Kalfon is brilliant as this mysterious man that Barbara and Julien suspect as he is connected to one of the murdered victims. Philippe Laudenbach is amazing as Julien’s lawyer Clement who initially defends him but later tries to get him to do things that Barbara doesn’t agree with. Finally, there’s Jean-Louis Trintignant and Fanny Ardant in incredible performances in their respective roles as Julien and Barbara. Trintignant brings a sense of humility to his performance as a man frustrated with his life and marriage as he copes with what happened as there’s also bits of humor in his performance. Ardant brings a sense of charm and energy to her role as Barbara as this secretary who reluctantly helps her boss as well as display something quite playful. Trintignant and Ardant have this chemistry that is very electric in the way they despise each other but also manage to have some attraction towards one another as they’re major highlights of the film.
Vivement dimanche is a remarkable film from Francois Truffaut that features phenomenal performances from Jean-Louis Trintignant and Fanny Ardant. The film is a suspense-comedy that features a lot of tropes of Truffaut’s finest works as well as a sense of style that is just engaging to watch. Since this is the last film that Truffaut would make in his lifetime, he at least creates a film that manages to be an absolute winner. In the end, Vivement dimanche is a sensationally rich film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Francois Truffaut and written by Truffaut, Jean Aurel, and Suzanne Schiffman, La Femme d’a cote (The Woman Next Door) is the story of a family man who learns that his former lover has moved in next door with a family of her own as the two try to deal with their feelings for each other. The film is an exploration of love that was lost as two lovers have an unexpected reunion but with attachments they couldn’t leave behind. Starring Gerard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant. La Femme d’a cote is a rapturous and intoxicating film from Francois Truffaut.
In this interpretation of the legendary love story Tristan and Iseult, the film is an exploration of two people who hadn’t seen each other for eight years as they rekindle a passionate love affair. Yet, they’re consumed with guilt over committing adultery and keeping it a secret from their spouses as old wounds begin to re-emerge. The film’s screenplay is told from the perspective of a tennis club owner Madame Jouve (Veronique Silver) who had also endure the same kind of heartbreak and temptation that Bernard (Gerard Depardieu) and Mathilde (Fanny Ardant) are dealing with as they would see each other for the first time in eight years. While both Bernard and Mathilde are married to other people with a son for Bernard, the two are drawn into capturing a love that had happened a long time ago. Unfortunately, their devotion to their spouses complicate things as the film’s second half showcases not just one wanting to continue the affair but also a sense of resistance that would force some truths to come out.
Francois Truffaut’s direction is very simple as he doesn’t really go for any sense of style as the film opens and ends with Madame Jouve telling the story about Bernard and Mathilde but that is it as she’s essentially a supporting character in this story. Shot on location in Grenoble, the film definitely has a small town look and feel where Truffaut does use a few wide shots but mostly go for medium shots and close-ups to play into this romance that is resurging. Even in the way he let the actors play into their emotion as there’s also these unique shots of longing where Bernard and Mathilde would often look out at the window to observe the other lives they have. These shots play into the looming sense of guilt that occurs as it would drive much of the film’s third act in its exploration of love and guilt. Overall, Truffaut crafts a very captivating and somber film about two lovers who reunite as neighbors.
Cinematographer William Lubtchansky does excellent work with the cinematography from the sunny and colorful look of the locations and tennis club in the day to some of the lighting schemes set at night. Editor Martine Barraque does nice work with the editing as it‘s very straightforward with a few jump-cuts and some dissolves to create a sense of style to express the sense of longing. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does superb work with the look of the different homes that Bernard and Mathilde live in.
Costume designer Michele Cerf does brilliant work with the costumes from the clothes that Mathilde wears to express her great taste in fashion along with some of the more casual look of the men. The sound work of Michel Laurent and Jacques Maumont is terrific for some of the sound effects that occurs in some of the film‘s location setting as well as some scenes that play into the film‘s drama. The film’s music by Georges Delerue is fantastic for its somber orchestral score to play into the drama and sense of longing that Bernard and Mathilde have for each other.
The film’s cast features some notable small roles from Olivier Bedquaert as Bernard’s young son Thomas, Philippe Morier-Genoud as a doctor late in the film, Roger Van Hool as a publishing friend of Mathilde’s husband who helps Mathilde with a book, and Veronique Silver in a wonderful performance as Madame Jouve who tells the story as she is someone who understands what Bernard and Mathilde are going through. Michele Baumgartner is terrific as Bernard’s very kind wife Arlette who is concerned over Bernard’s behavior while Henri Garcin is excellent as Mathilde’s husband Philippe who begins to suspect something as he tries to understand what is wife is going through and try to hide.
Finally, there’s the duo of Gerard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant in exquisitely phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Bernard and Mathilde. Depardieu brings this ferocity to someone who is eager to capture a part of his life that he had lost. Ardant has a much more restrained role as a woman anguished by her past as she isn’t sure if she wants to continue as both she and Depardieu manage to present aspects of charm but also a great weight of despair into their performances.
La Femme d’a cote is a rich and enchanting film from Francois Truffaut that features majestic performances from Gerard Depardieu and Fanny Ardant. It’s a film that explores old love returning and the emotional baggage it carries for two people who think they have moved on. In the end, La Femme d’a cote is a remarkable film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Based on a trio of short stories by Henry James in The Altar of the Dead, The Beast in the Jungle, and The Way It Came, La chambre verte (The Green Room) is the story of a man’s obsession with the dead as he strives to build a memorial for them. Directed and starring Francois Truffaut and screenplay by Truffaut and Jean Grualt, the film is an exploration into the world of death as it is set a decade after the first World War. Also starring Nathalie Baye, Jean Daste, and Patrick Maleon. La chambre verte is a mesmerizing film from Francois Truffaut.
The film is a simple story of a journalist whose obsession with death has him wanting to pay tribute to the friends including his old flame he had lost over the years as he gets the help from an auction house secretary. It’s a film where Julien Davenne (Francois Truffaut) tries to deal with the people he had lost as he was a World War I veteran as he also hold a torch for his wife Julie in a room where he places her belongings and such. Upon meeting Cecilia (Nathalie Baye) at an auction house where he bought a ring for his late wife, he would ask her to aid him in watching over a chapel that he would restore as he would make it a memorial for his old friends and his flame. The film’s screenplay takes the work of Henry James into something where a man is often around death from an opening scene at a funeral to the life that Julien lives in as it’s very quiet. Some of the film’s dialogue plays into the idea of death and Julien’s obsession with it where Cecilia is also dealing with loss as she would help him.
Truffaut’s direction also has an air of simplicity in his direction as it opens with this very rich montage of images of World War I with Julien looking on in a dissolve. Much of it is presented has Truffaut going for something intimate where there’s very little wide shots so that he can express Julien’s own determination to honor the dead. Much of it involve Truffaut going for simple camera movements and some compositions where it plays into the growing relationship between Julien and Cecilia where they unknowingly both visit the same cemetery where the latter has been going there because of someone she knew had just passed. While the film has a third act where it does play into a bit of convention, it does play into something that explores the idea of death as well as Julien’s obsession as he loses his own grip on life itself. Overall, Truffaut creates a very engaging and compelling film about a man’s obsession with death.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does excellent work with the film‘s low yet colorful cinematography from the naturalistic approach to the exterior scenes to some of the gorgeous images in the candlelight chapel scenes and inside the green room. Editor Martine Barreque-Currie does nice work with the editing as it‘s pretty straightforward with the exception of some stylish dissolve montage scenes that play into Julien‘s own obsession with death. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does brilliant work with the set design from the renovation of the chapel as well as the look of the cemetery including a tomb for an old friend of Julien.
Costume designers Monique Dury and Christian Gasc do terrific work with the costumes from the clothes that Julien wears where he often wears black while the clothes that Cecilia wear are grey. The sound work of Michel Laurent and Jean-Louis Ughetto is superb for some of the sound effects such as the storm and some of the more low-key moments in the film. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert is amazing for its enchanting score that plays into the drama with its lush string arrangements and somber pieces for the heavier moments.
The film’s fantastic cast includes notable small roles from Jean Daste as Julien’s boss, Patrick Maleon as the deaf-mute boy Georges who lives with Julien, Jeanne Lorbe as Georges’ caretaker, Monique Dury as the secretary at the newspaper where Julien works at, Jean-Pierre Moulin as the widower whom Julien tries to comfort early in the film, and Laurence Ragon as the picture of Julien’s late wife Julie. Nathalie Baye is incredible as Cecilia as a very kind and charming woman who sort of knows Julien as she helps him with restoring a chapel as she also has some feelings for the dead. Finally, there’s Francois Truffaut in an excellent performance as Julien as this man who is haunted by loss as he wants to pay tribute to his late love as he realizes what he needs to do while losing sight of the world around him.
La chambre verte is a superb film from Francois Truffaut that features an amazing performance from Nathalie Baye. While it is an interesting film in its exploration of death, it is also a film that plays into obsession and how a man starts to lose sight into a world that is already filled with life. In the end, La chambre verte is a rich and glorious film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Francois Truffaut and written by Truffaut, Michel Fermaud, and Suzanne Schiffman, L’Homme qui aimait les femmes (The Man Who Loved Women) is the story of a man who had many lovers in his life as they would all reflect on what he brought to their world. Told in a reflective narrative style, the film is an exploration into a man who meant something to the women he loved no matter how complicated his love life is. Starring Charles Denner, Brigitte Fossey, Nelly Borgeaud, Genevieve Fontanel, and Leslie Caron. L’Homme qui aimait les femmes is a very touching and witty film from Francois Truffaut.
The film is a reflective story about a man who loved so many women as he tries to deal with everything he had done as he writes a book about the many relationships he has as well as his own faults as a man. All of which has the main narrative exploring the life of Bertrand Morane (Charles Denner) whose obsession with women’s legs and sleeping with them has him reflecting on his failures to find stability as he learned that a friend of his is already with someone else. The action would force him to deal with his own love-life and his own relationship with his mother as Bertrand would eventually write about the many loves of his life as it would attract the attention of a young publisher in Genevieve (Brigitte Fossey) who would fall for him. The film’s script takes it time to play into Bertrand’s self-discovery as well as the women in his life such as the lingerie shop manager Helene (Genevieve Fontanel), a doctor’s wife in Delphine (Nelly Borgeaud), and an old flame in Vera (Leslie Caron) which would force him to think about his own past and sins.
Francois Truffaut’s direction is quite simplistic at times in terms of his compositions but there’s also elements of style that is prevalent throughout the film. Notably the shots of women’s legs as it’s something that Bertrand is often obsessed about as there is something about their legs that is quite fascinating. The film is shot partially in Paris and Montpellier where the latter serves as the home where Bertrand lives in as he is often awaken by a caller whom he was eager to meet. Yet, there’s a sensitivity to Truffaut’s approach to telling the story where he plays into the many contradictions that Bertrand lives in as he is a man with a lot of great flaws as Truffaut doesn’t portray him as anything but a man. Truffaut’s camera involves a lot of simple close-ups and medium shots as well as moments where Bertand’s obsessions would get the best of him though the film does open on a very grim note as it plays to what Genevieve was discovering about Bertrand. Overall, Truffaut creates a very engaging yet compelling film about a man’s love for women.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its naturalistic approach to lighting in some of the nighttime scenes as well as some low-key yet evocative look to some of the daytime exterior scenes and some black-and-white shots for flashbacks into Bertrand‘s child hood. Editor Martine Barraque-Currie does fantastic work with the editing as it plays to a sense of style with its approach to dissolves and jump-cuts as the latter add to the sense of drama that Bertrand is going through. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does terrific work with set pieces from the lingerie store that Helene runs to the apartment that Bertrand lives in.
Costume designer Monique Dury does nice work with the clothes from the suits that Bertrand wears to the different dresses the women wear. The sound work of Michel Laurent is superb for some of the sound effects such as the aerodynamics lab he works at and other moments where the sound drowns out some of the dialogue. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert does amazing work in creating an upbeat orchestral score for some of the funnier moments along with more low-key somber moments for the dramatic scenes.
The film’s cast includes some notable small roles from Nathalie Baye as a woman Bertrand asks over a pair of legs he saw early in the film, Anna Perrier as a beautiful babysitter, Jean Daste as a doctor, and Valerie Bonnier as a former lover whom Bertrand helps out. Leslie Caron is wonderful in her brief role as the old flame Vera whom Bertrand would meet late in the film as their meeting would force Bertrand to think about his own flaws. Genevieve Fontanel is terrific as the lingerie store manager Helene who is a friend of Bertrand as she reveals her own preferences in companionship that would force Bertrand to deal with his own flaws. Nelly Borgeaud is fantastic as Delphine as a married woman who would fall for Bertrand only to cause trouble as she would do things that would force him to break away from that relationship.
Brigitte Fossey is brilliant as Genevieve as this book publisher who is intrigued by Bertrand’s story as she would help him get it out as she would also fall for him to understand everything that he’s all about. Finally, there’s Charles Denner is a remarkable performance as Bertrand Morane as this man who has this ability to fall in love with women and be with them as he deals with his own faults and the contradictions he makes in his life as it’s one that is funny but also quite sensitive as it’s really a performance to watch.
L’Homme qui aimait les femmes is a phenomenal film from Francois Truffaut that features an incredible performance from Charles Denner. Not only is it one of Truffaut’s most captivating films on the way men view women but also one that is very sensitive in the way men view themselves at times which makes it one of Truffaut’s more accessible films. Overall, L’Homme qui aimait les femmes is an extraordinarily rich film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 is the story of a fireman who becomes a fugitive over reading literature in a dystopian future where his job is to burn books and all forms of literature. Directed by Francois Truffaut and screenplay by Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard, the film is Truffaut’s only English-language film as he would take on the world of dystopia. Starring Oskar Werner, Julie Christie, and Cyril Cusack. Fahrenheit 451 is a compelling yet very flawed film from Francois Truffaut.
Set in a world where books are banned and to be burned in fear of subversive activities and anti-social ideas, the film is an exploration into a fireman whose job is to burn these books where he suddenly reads one as he questions everything that he’s doing and the world around him. The concept itself is very unique where the fireman known as Montag (Oskar Werner) would eventually become a fugitive for his actions yet he realizes that the things that he’s oppressing are real feelings and the ideas that make people be alive instead of conforming to what society wants.
The premise itself is definitely intriguing yet it’s told in a style where Francois Truffaut definitely wants to be a bit of Alfred Hitchcock and infuse his own style. Yet, some of the film’s dialogue sounds very unrealistic as it really hurts the story as well as affect some of the performances. Another problem with the script involves Montag’s superior (Cyril Cusack) who is never really defined while Montag’s wife Linda (Julie Christie) is quite one-dimensional as her only motivation is conformity.
Truffaut’s direction does have some very entrancing moments in the way he presents a futuristic world where even though it’s quite colorful. It’s still an oppressive one where it is a world where there are rules and everyone has to act a certain way and watch the same TV show where they can feel like they’re part of something. Truffaut does create some unique compositions as well as some very striking scenes where books are being burned but there are aspects of the film where the suspense doesn’t work. Even in some scenes where it involves special effects as it looked very clumsy as it doesn’t play to Truffaut’s sensibilities as a director. Even in his approach to satire and the little humor that it has doesn’t work along with some dream sequences as it seems that Truffaut is trying to do something but it never really says anything for the story. Despite some of its flaws, the film is still a fascinating film on censorship in a dystopian world.
Cinematographer Nicholas Roeg does excellent work with the film‘s vibrant colors for the look of the town that the characters live in as well as some of the interior lighting schemes that help sets a mood for the film. Editor Thom Noble does fantastic work with the stylized editing with some usage of dissolves and jump-cuts though much of it is straightforward. Production designer Syd Cain, with additional work from costume designer Tony Walton, does brilliant work with the design of the houses and the fire truck where it plays to this offbeat idea of a futuristic dystopia while the costumes are presented in a simplistic manner. The sound work of Robert T. MacPhee and Norman Wanstall is terrific for some of the sound effects that is created as well as the way the sirens sound to play into that sense of terror. The film’s music by Bernard Herrmann is brilliant as it helps play into the film‘s suspense with its orchestral flourishes that also include some unique instrumentals from marimbas, xylophones, and other things to play into the film‘s offbeat sensibility.
The casting by Miriam Brickman is wonderful as it would feature some notable small roles from Alex Scott as a man Montag would meet late in the film, Jeremy Spenser as a man with an apple, Bee Duffell as a woman whom the firemen would confront for having a large amount of books, and Anton Diffring in a dual role as a school headmistress and as the Captain’s associate Fabian. Cyril Cusack is good as the Captain who leads the firemen in burning the books where there’s a lot of charm in his performance but it’s also underwritten where he doesn’t seem to say much about the past which could’ve helped into what Montag wanted to do.
Oskar Werner has his moments as the film’s protagonist Montag but is never really engaging at times as the dialogue he recites is quite stilted since he is German and speaks English quite awkwardly. Finally, there’s Julie Christine in an amazing performance in a dual role as Montag’s wife Linda who is eager to conform and in the role of a schoolteacher named Clarisse who would give Montag some ideas as well as show him a world that it is outside of society.
Fahrenheit 451 is a stellar film from Francois Truffaut. Though it is definitely his weakest picture as it doesn’t really play to many of the ideas that Truffaut would explore with many of his films. It is still an intriguing one for the way he would interpret Ray Bradbury’s famed novel. In the end, Fahrenheit 451 is a pretty good film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Francois Truffaut and written by Truffaut and Suzanne Schiffman, L’Argent de poche (Small Change) is the story about the life of a group of children who go through many antics through many different moments in the course of an entire school year. It’s a film that plays into the lives of children through many different events as they come of age through mischief and some serious moments. Starring Jean-Francois Stevenin and Virginie Thevenet. L’Argent de poche is a remarkable coming-of-age film from Francois Truffaut.
The film is a simple exploration about the life of a group of children in a small town as they go to school where their teachers often comment on their behaviors and the problems they face. Much of which is told in a very loose style from Francois Truffaut and co-writer Suzanne Schiffman in the course of an entire school year where children come of age. Throughout the course of the film, there’s stories about first-love, mischief involving botched haircuts and two brothers making money off of schemes, a teacher with a pregnant wife, and a new student who has been very secretive about the abuse he suffers at home. While much of the story is told in a humorous fashion, it does have some commentary about the way children act and how they deal with their situations. Even as they’re seen by adults such as parents and teacher who watch to see these activities as well as to try and relate to these children.
Truffaut’s direction is quite simple yet very lively as he aims for something that feels more realistic and loose in terms of the way he directs children as many of the people in the film are non-professional actors. Much of the direction is quite stylized but also full of whimsy and wonder where there’s scenes that goes beyond the idea of realism as it relates to a young baby named Gregory. Truffaut’s compositions are often engaging in the way he shoots the children and adults where he makes them feel like real characters as there’s no such thing as good or bad people with the exception of the family a boy named Julien (Philippe Goldmann) lives with as he secretly hides his abuse.
The tone of the film does become serious in its third act as it relates to Julien’s secret that includes this very engrossing monologue from a teacher (Jean-Francois Stevenin) to his students about their rights to have a good life as well as the injustice they would face as they come of age but with choices. Through Truffaut’s direction, it’s a moment that is very poignant without being overbearing. Overall, Truffaut crafts a very mesmerizing film about the year in the life of children in a small French town.
Cinematographer Pierre-William Glenn does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as much of it is straightforward while it features some stylish lights for the scenes of Julien walking through a carnival as he watches kids having fun with their parents. Editors Yann Dedet and Martine Barraque-Curie do nice work with the editing as it is quite stylish with some jump-cuts as well as fade-outs to give the story some structure in its loose tone. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does amazing work with the look of the classrooms as well as the apartment where many of the characters live in. Costume designer Monique Dury does wonderful work with the costumes as many of them play into the personality of the kids as they would often wear the same clothes. The sound work of Michel Laurent is terrific for the atmosphere that goes on at the school as well as the apartment and things that goes on outside of the school. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert is superb for its playful orchestral score as well as some songs that plays into the situation of the characters as it adds to the film’s unique tone.
The film’s cast is brilliant as many of the performances add to the sense of realism and whimsy of the film as the standouts include Richard Golfier as a kid who gets a botched haircut, Sylvie Grezel as a young girl who uses her father’s megaphone, Bruno Staab as a teenager who tries to show a boy how to woo girls, Pascale Bruchon as a young girl who would write a letter to her cousin in the beginning of the film, Geory Desmouceaux as a boy named Patrick who endures his crush on a student’s mother and later encounter his first love, and Philippe Goldmann in a tremendous performance as the troubled boy Julien. The film’s superb adult cast includes notable performances from Chantal Mercier as a strict teacher, Nicole Felix as the mother of the baby Gregory, Tania Torrens as a boy’s mother that Patrick has a crush on, Virginie Thevenet as the schoolteacher’s pregnant wife, and Jean-Francois Stevenin in fantastic performance as the schoolteacher who gives the film’s famous monologue.
L’Argent de poche is an incredible film from Francois Truffaut. Not only is the film one of Truffaut’s most accessible and exuberant films of his career but also a very realistic and tender portrait about the lives of children. Especially as it’s told with such whimsy that it is a film that children could relate to as well as adults. In the end, L’Argent de poche is a phenomenal film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the diaries of Adele Hugo, L’Histoire d’Adele H. (The Story of Adele H.) recounts the life of the daughter of writer Victor Hugo and her love for a military officer that would lead to her downfall. Directed by Francois Truffaut with a script by Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman, Jean Grualt, and Frances Vernor Guille, the film is an exploration of a young woman’s encounter with an officer in the mid-19th Century as she is played by Isabelle Adjani. Also starring Bruce Robinson and Sylvia Marriott. L’Histoire d’Adele H. is an intense yet haunting film from Francois Truffaut.
The film is set during the early 1860s in Halifax, Nova Scotia where Adele Hugo travels to the island to find the British officer she lives in Lt. Pinson (Bruce Robinson) as she hopes to marry him despite the fact that he keeps pushing her away. It’s a film that explores a period in Adele Hugo’s life as she goes under different alias so that people wouldn’t know who her father is as she stays at a boarding house run by the kind Mrs. Saunders (Sylvia Marriott). Upon her pursuit for Lt. Pinson, Adele would start to unravel emotionally and mentally as images of her older sister’s death would appear in her nightmares. The film’s script takes place in the span of an entire year from Adele’s arrival to Halifax where Lt. Pinson is stationed in to her growing descent into madness as she would do whatever to claim him.
While Lt. Pinson does care for her, he couldn’t deal with her desperation and antics as she would eventually cause troubled for him in his own life. The first half is about Adele’s pursuit while its second half is about her slow descent to madness and her attempts to ruin the new life that Lt. Pinson is trying to create. Many of which would have Adele claiming to be Lt. Pinson’s wife and claimed to have married him as she would constantly write letters to her family as they would give her money. Yet, Adele’s antics would cause disappointment among her family as they beg her to come home to be with her ailing mother as Adele’s behavior would eventually become more and more erratic towards the end of the film.
Francois Truffaut’s direction is pretty simple yet effective in the way he portrays a year in the life of Adele Hugo. Though the film is shot in the island of Guernsey, where Victor Hugo lived in exile during that time, due to the fact that Halifax didn’t look like what it was during the mid-19th Century. It does play into the world that Adele is in as she tries to go to the various places where Lt. Pinson is at as he is prepared to take part in the American Civil War if it would reach Halifax. The direction has Truffaut use a lot of close-ups and medium shots to maintain an intimacy in the story as well as play into Adele’s growing descent into madness. Early on, she looks like a proper woman but slowly would look ragged and lost as she would follow Lt. Pinson wherever he is as she would become more desperate and erratic. There is also a sense of melancholia that lingers in the film as Truffaut would incorporate that into the story as well as the fate that Adele would eventually succumb to. Overall, Truffaut crafts a very eerie yet evocative film about Adele Hugo’s descent into madness.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does amazing work with the film‘s lush and intoxicating cinematography with its use of low-key and natural lights for some of its nighttime exterior and interiors as well as vibrant colors for some of the daytime exterior scenes. Editors Yann Dedet, Martine Barraque, Jean Gargonne, Michele Neny, and Muriel Zeleny do excellent work with the film‘s stylized editing with the use of dissolve for the nightmare sequences as well as jump-cuts and transition wipes to play with its structure. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does fantastic work with the set pieces such as the home that Adele stays at to the taverns and bookstore that she goes to.
Costume designer Jacqueline Guyot is brilliant for the dresses that Adele wears to play into her personality as well as the uniform that Lt. Pinson wears. The sound work of Michel Laurent and Jean-Pierre Rush is terrific for the atmosphere that is presented on many of the film‘s locations including a party that Adele crashes. The film’s music by Maurice Jaubert is superb for its somber orchestral score that plays into Adele‘s growing descent as well as some more chilling pieces in the nightmare sequences.
The film’s wonderful cast includes some notable small roles from Francois Truffaut as a soldier Adele encounters, Cecil de Sausmarez as a notary in a bank Adele goes to, Roger Martin as a doctor who discovers Adele’s true identity yet keeps it a secret, Ruben Dorey as Mr. Saunders, Sir Raymond Falla as a judge whose daughter was to marry Lt. Pinson, and Ivry Gitlis as a hypnotist Adele tries to hire during a show she attends. Joseph Blatchley is terrific as a kind book store owner who tries to help Adele while Sylvia Marriott is excellent as the very warm Mrs. Saunders who makes sure that Adele lives comfortably while keeping her identity a secret.
Bruce Robinson is superb as Lt. Pinson as a man who is being pursued by Adele as he knows that he can’t love her like he used to as he devotes himself to duty and seeking a new life for himself. Finally, there’s Isabelle Adjani in a tremendous performance as Adele Hugo as she brings in this fierce intensity to her character that is filled with anguish and a determination to be loved. Most notably in the way she presents Adele’s descent into madness with a physically and raggedness that is just eerie to watch as it is one of Adjani’s finest performances.
L’Histoire d’Adele H. is a remarkable film from Francois Truffaut that features a magnificent performance from Isabelle Adjani. The film isn’t just an eerie portrait into a woman trying to claim the love of a man who doesn’t love her but an exploration into mental illness and a woman’s desperation that would lead to madness. In the end, L’Histoire d’Adele H. is a phenomenal film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player -Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - Day for Night - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Directed by Francois Truffaut and written by Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman, and Jean-Louis Richard, La nuit americaine (Day for Night) is the story about a filmmaker trying to make a film where a lot of things go wrong. With Truffaut playing the director, it’s a film that chronicles the turbulent world of filmmaking and what goes on during a film production. Also starring Jean-Pierre Leaud, Jacqueline Bissett, Valentina Cortese, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Dani, Nathalie Baye, Jean Champion, and Alexandra Stewart. La nuit americaine is a whimsical and engaging film about the world of filmmaking.
The film is about a filmmaker, his actors, and his crew trying to make a film called Meet Pamela where the director Ferrand learns he only has seven-weeks to shoot the film while his leading English actress has not arrived on set due to her melancholic state. Adding to the chaos is an aging diva who boozes up as she can’t remember her lines while her co-star is a former lover while one of her younger co-stars is dealing with his girlfriend’s infatuation with other crew members. It’s a film that explores a filmmaker trying to make this romantic love-triangle with all of the pressures that goes on as it relates to funding and all sorts of things. All of which is told in a very whimsical manner where Francois Truffaut pokes fun at the world of the studio system but also pays homage to it as the film is also a tribute to cinema itself.
The film’s screenplay has a lot of jokes that relates to cinema where Truffaut even pokes fun at himself as some of the characters he creates are composites of some of his collaborators and actors he worked with. Yet, Truffaut treats them as real people as the aging actor Alexander (Jean-Pierre Aumont) tries to keep things calm and be professional as he often takes trips to the airport. The aging diva Severine (Valentina Cortese) deals with aging as she has a hard time remembering her lines while reflecting on the days when she and Alexander made films in Hollywood. The young actor Alphonse (Jean-Pierre Leaud) is a variation of the many characters that Leaud had played in Truffaut’s films as he’s hung up on his girlfriend Liliane (Dani) who gets hired as a script girl as she is more interested in other men. Then there’s the young English leading lady Julie Baker (Jacqueline Bissett) who has just got married to an older man (David Markham) yet is still reeling from depression.
It all plays to the craziness that goes on as Ferrand and his producer Bertrand (Jean Champion) try to make sure that things don’t go wrong as crew members start to sleep around and do crazy things. It plays into the sense of pressure that goes on as Julie is uninsured in case things go wrong as Ferrand just tries to film while he would have recurring dreams featuring a kid. The script also has a lot of commentaries about film itself and what it means to people as it adds to the sense of reality and fiction blurring.
Truffaut’s direction is quite stylish for not just the way he presents the film-within-a-film in Meet Pamela but also in the realness that he creates when he’s trying to make a film as if there is a bit of a cinema verite feel to it. Much of the direction about Ferrand making the film has a lot of style from wide shots to display a crew shooting where there’s some elaborate crane shots to some close-ups that are on display for the film. The scenes for Meet Pamela is presented as a typical melodrama with a lot of cinematic references to some of films that Truffaut has made in some of the visuals. There is a lot of humor that goes on but it’s very subtle as it doesn’t go too far into whimsy.
There’s also moments where there’s an idea where the fourth wall might be broken as there’s a famous scene where a woman who is shown often in the background as she finally states her opinion about cinema. Even as the film’s American title relates to what filmmakers do to shoot scenes in the day for nighttime scenes as it plays to some of the absurdity of cinema as there’s a famous scene of two crew members watching a game show where the questions relates to films that starred Jeanne Moreau. Overall, Truffaut creates a very exciting and funny film about cinema and a man trying to make something cinematic.
Cinematographer Pierre-William Glenn does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography with its unique approach to lighting as well as displaying some tricks into how some of the film‘s interiors are lit for the film-within-a-film sequences. Editors Martine Barraque and Yann Dedet do fantastic work with the editing as it includes some montages and jump-cuts as it plays to the film‘s humor and some of its melancholia. Production designer Damien LanFranchi does brilliant work with the set pieces as well as the way sets are displayed as well some of the offices and hotel rooms the crew and actors stay in.
Costume designer Monique Dury does wonderful work with the costumes from the stylish clothes that Julie and Severine wear to the some of the costumes the actors wear for the film-within-a-film. The sound work of Rene Levert and Harrik Maury is terrific for its sound from the way sound is created on set to the recording of the characters in the film-within-a-film. The film’s music by Georges Delerue is amazing for its very soaring and upbeat score that plays into the humor along with some somber pieces that includes a cut that he did in Two English Girls.
The film’s superb cast includes some notable appearances from author Graham Greene as an English insurer, Christophe Vesque as the boy in Ferrand’s dream, Xavier Saint-Macary as Alexander’s companion, David Markham as Julie’s much-older husband, Zenaide Rossi as crewmember’s wife who is always on set, Nike Arrighi as the makeup girl Odile, and Bernard Menez as the prop man who is frustrated by some of the film’s troubles. Nathalie Baye is wonderful as Ferrand’s assistant director Joelle who tries to keep things organized while Jean Champion is terrific as the film’s producer who tries to get everything intact while being the one to accompany Julie when she arrives. Dani is terrific as Alphonse’s girlfriend Liliane who enjoys being on set while flirting with other men. Alexandra Stewart is excellent as the secondary actress Stacey who arrives to the set where Ferrand and his crew make a major discovery that would cause more trouble for the production.
Francois Truffaut is amazing in playing Ferrand where he’s sort of playing himself as a filmmaker trying to get the production going while dealing with all of the troubles that happens. Jean-Pierre Aumont is great as the aging actor Alexander who tries to ensure that things go well while being the most professional despite his frequent trips to the airport. Jacqueline Bissett is radiant as the troubled English actress Julie Baker who tries to cope with her depression while doing her job in playing the ingenue. Jean-Pierre Leaud is fantastic as the young actor Alphonse as he deals with his relationship issues while asking numerous questions about women as it relates to his own aloofness. Finally, there’s Valentina Cortese in a remarkable performance as the diva Severine as this woman trying to cope with aging as well as a fading career as Cortese brings a lot of life and exuberance to her performance that hides the sense of insecurities that she carries in her character.
La nuit americaine is an incredible film from Francois Truffaut. Armed with a great cast and many tributes and allusions to the world of cinema, the film is definitely one of Truffaut’s most accessible and compelling films of his career. Particularly as Truffaut makes fun of himself as well as show some realism into the world of filmmaking. In the end, La nuit americaine is a sensational film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the novel by Henry Farrell, Une belle fille comme moi (Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me) is the story of a woman who tells a young sociologist about her love affairs and how she was accused of murder which led to her incarceration. Directed by Francois Truffaut and screenplay by Truffaut and Jean-Loup Dabadie, the film is a look into a man who falls for a woman whose stories and claims of being innocent has him lose sight of what she really is. Starring Bernadette Lafont, Claude Brasseur, Charles Denner, Guy Marchand, and Andre Dussollier. Une belle fille comme moi is a zany yet very funny film from Francois Truffaut.
The film is about this woman who tells her story to a young sociologist professor who is doing research for a thesis on criminal women. There, the professor falls in love with this woman as he believes that she is innocent though others believe that she isn’t as he does whatever she can to prove her innocence. It’s a film where its simple premise is presented in the form of a black comedy where the lead character of Camille Bliss (Bernadette Lafont) is really a woman who uses her sexuality and charm to get what she wants where the young professor Stanislas Previne (Andre Dussollier) becomes blinded by her as he does whatever to get her out of prison. Yet, he is unaware that there’s more to Camille’s story about all of the things that has happened to her.
The film’s screenplay has a back-and-forth structure though it starts with a scene where a woman asks a librarian about the thesis that Previne was supposed to publish. It then leads to the main story that happened one year before where Previne interviews Bliss for this thesis as he is amazed by all of these claims she’s made while the stuff that actually happened revealed that Bliss is really a woman who can use her sex appeal to cause trouble. Even as the victims she include are an idiotic mama’s boy, a lounge singer, an attorney, and a good-hearted exterminator who are wowed by her charm. It has a back-and-forth narrative of Bliss telling her story to Previne as well as the events of what really happened where Previne would have his secretary Helen (Anne Kreis) write things down though she really knows that Bliss is a manipulative slut.
Francois Truffaut’s direction is pretty simple in the way he presents the interrogations as well as the scenes involving Bliss and her schemes. Much of it involves some close-up and medium shots where it plays to the intimacy of the interrogations as well as some of the light-hearted moments in the schemes and misadventures of Bliss and her many lovers. Some of it features moments such as Bliss talking about her life as a child where her father kicks her in the ass as the young Bliss flies into a heap of hay. There’s also moments where the comedy is very out there but also with some dark moments to play into the suspense. Especially in the third act where it would climax with Previne trying to prove Bliss’ innocence where it would play into a sense of absurdity and dark humor. Overall, Truffaut creates a very lively and witty film about a sociologist professor who falls in love with a dirty slut.
Cinematographer Pierre-William Glenn does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from its colorful look of the saloon that Bliss worked at as well as some of the exteriors in some of the small-town locations in France. Editors Martine Barraque and Yann Dedet do terrific work with the editing from its approach to rhythms for much of the film‘s humor as well as some of the film‘s suspense. Production designer Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko does nice work with the set pieces from the look of the interrogation room as well as the saloon where Bliss worked at.
Costume designer Monique Dury does fantastic work with the stylish dresses that Camille Bliss wears in many of the film‘s flashbacks that presents her quirky personality. The sound work of Rene Levert does superb work with the sound from the way some of the records that are played being heard to some of the sounds in the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Georges Delerue is amazing for its mixture of somber orchestral pieces to more upbeat themes that is largely led by the banjo as it’s an instrument that Bliss loves to play.
The film’s brilliant cast includes some notable small roles from Martine Ferriere as a prison secretary, Jacob Weizbluth as a mute musician at the saloon, Jerome Zucca as an amateur filmmaker who provides the key to Camille’s fate, Gaston Ouvrard as an old prison warder, and Daniele Girard as the wife of the lounge singer who despises Camille. Philippe Leotard is terrific as the very dim-witted mama’s boy Clovis with Gilberte Geniat as his very suspicious mother. Claude Brasseur is excellent as the lawyer who falls for Camille as he creates some trouble for her while Guy Marchand is superb as the lounge singer Sam Golden who finds a muse in Camille only to get into a lot of trouble.
Charles Denner is fantastic as the exterminator Arthur who falls for Camille while dealing with his own sense of morality over the things that Camille does. Anne Kreis is wonderful as Previne’s secretary who analyzes everything Previne has taped as she is very suspicious about Camille. Andre Dussollier is amazing as the sociology professor Stanislas Previne as a man who becomes infatuated by Camille as he loses all insight of professionalism where he tries to get Camille free from prison. Finally, there’s Bernadette Lafont in a remarkable performance as Camille Bliss as this very mischievous and manipulative woman who uses her sex appeal to get what she wants while proving to be a very creative storyteller as she tries to maintain her innocence though she is really guilty for her actions as it’s a role that is just so fun to watch.
Une belle fille comme moi is a marvelous film from Francois Truffaut that features a very entertaining performance from Bernadette Lafont. The film isn’t just one of Truffaut’s more accessible films but also one of his funniest for the way he allows a woman to outsmart the men she meets and get them to cause trouble. In the end, Une belle fille comme moi is a hilarious film from Francois Truffaut.
Francois Truffaut Films: The 400 Blows - Shoot the Piano Player - Jules & Jim - Antoine & Colette - The Soft Skin - Fahrenheit 451 - The Bride Wore Black - Stolen Kisses - Mississippi Mermaid - The Wild Child - Bed and Board - Two English Girls - Day for Night - The Story of Adele H. - Small Change - The Man Who Loved Women - The Green Room - Love on the Run - The Last Metro - The Woman Next Door - Confidentially Yours
The Auteur #40: Francois Truffaut (Pt. 1) - (Pt. 2)
© thevoid99 2014
