Tag Archives: French film
Love is My Profession (1958)
“You can’t explain happiness.” Based on a Simenon novel, Love is My Profession (1958) aka En Cas de Malheur examines the power of sexuality and the issue of control through the obsessive relationship between a bourgeois French lawyer with a young girl. … Continue reading
Filed under France
Thérèse Desqueyroux (1962)
“I only remember loathing my husband even more than usual.” Thérèse Desqueyroux, a 1962 black & white film from director Georges Franju, is based on the book by Francois Mauriac. The film begins with the acquittal of Thérèse Desqueyroux who’s been charged with the … Continue reading
Filed under France
Crime d’Amour (2010)
I love watching Kristin Scott Thomas in French films. For one thing, she’s easier for me to understand than native French speakers, but apart from that, there’s just something about her; she’s so tightly wound, you know that when she does something … Continue reading
Filed under France
Someone I Loved (Je L’Aimais) 2009
“Dealing with a Frenchman in love is too dangerous.” Someone I loved (Je L’Aimais) is based on the best-selling novel by Anna Gavalda. It’s the story of Pierre (Daniel Auteuil), who takes his daughter-in-law, Chloe (Florence Loiret Caille) and two … Continue reading
Filed under Daniel Auteuil, France
The Sea Wall (2008)
A few years ago, the French film The Lover, based on the book by Marguarite Duras, made the cinema circuit. I loathed the film for its excessive romanticism. Yes I know millions loved it, but I didn’t. So when I saw … Continue reading
Filed under Cambodia, France, Isabelle Huppert, Political/social films
A Girl Cut in Two (2007)
“Depraved to the bone.” Shortly after beginning Claude Chabrol’s film A Girl Cut in Two (La Fille Coupee de Deux), I realised that this had to be a re-working of the love-triangle between eminent, middle-aged, married architect Stanford White, Gibson girl Evelyn … Continue reading
Filed under Claude Chabrol, France
Les Sanguinaires (1999)
“We’ll either die of cold or boredom.” In the French film Les Sanguinaires, as the millennium approaches, Francois (Frederic Pierrot) the Paris-based owner of the Jetlag Travel agency plans a special ‘getaway,’ and he invites a group of friends to … Continue reading
Filed under France
Summer Things (2002)
“It’s aggravated nymphomania.” Holidays are about all about space. In our regular, non-holiday lives we create and occupy certain spaces on this planet that involve work, home, family, friends and responsibilities. Along with those issues comes the idea, weaved into various … Continue reading
Filed under France
Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
“We’ll only be together in the headlines.” Director Louis Malle was just 25 years old when his first non-documentary feature Elevator to the Gallows (Ascenseur pour l’echafaud) was released in June 1958. With two shorts and a documentary feature he … Continue reading
Autumn tale (1998)
The Games People Play…. Autumn Tale (Conte d’Automne), set in France’s spectacular Rhone Valley, is the last of the Four Season films from director Eric Rohmer. Rohmer is one of my all-time favourite directors, and Autumn Tale is one of … Continue reading
Filed under Eric Rohmer, France
