Description

Childhood, Adolescence, Virginity, Marriage, Adultery, Divorce and A Woman Alone - The seven stages of love in a woman's life are individually explored by France's preeminent directors in this episodic film featuring an all-star cast. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I had a great time watching this movie!
The movie is in a sketch format, which is very early 60s, and so is general tone of the movie. But it breathes a very innocent early 1960s air: points are made with a lot of humor about many things in the human nature, love, or marriage, or divorce ; sometimes it comes out as corny, most of the time, you 'd love to see what a modern set of directors would do with this basically good material. Added bonus to the fun: there is an incredible array of famous French actors, directors,and writers from the 50s involved in this movie, and their words or diction is vintage 1950s French: hey, it's fun to learn French with such teachers, if movie watching is also an opportunity to practice your foreign language skills! I 'd say it is the kind of movie that makes you forget about the strange times we live now, a witty time capsule full of sedative quaintness. DVD's black and white is crisp and faultless too.

A light and funny French comedy
Shot in 1960 by the best French light comedy directors of that time (Christan-Jaque, Henri Verneuil, René Clair among others), Love and the Frenchwomen is a delightfully funny movie which follows the different stages in life of love, sexuality, and couple relationship. Although directed in the early 60s, Love and the Frenchwomen is still strangely up to date and caustic. The best part is of course the incredibly amusing performance by Jean-Paul Belmondo in the short "Adultery" in which he plays the buoyant lover who would do and say anything to get his pray in his bed. The part is all the more funny as you can hear the thoughts of the character in a voice off in which all tricks and low lies are being revealed. Although unequal as all movies made as a patchwork of stories directed by different directors, Love and the Frenchwomen is nevertheless a very entertaining movie which will keep you thinking and smiling long after you watched it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Surprisingly faithful, surprisingly good
Strangely, there has never been a bad film of Victor Hugo's classic tale, and while this is indeed less successful than Laughton, Chaney or Disney's versions, this French effort is still a surprisingly good and much under-rated film. To get the most out of it, you have to bear in mind that Hugo did not write a horror story but a tale of unrequited love and anguish. There is little of the Gothic on show here; rather, everyone is trapped by a desire for what they are denied. This is much more 'Notre Dame de Paris' (the novel's actual title) than 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame': Quasimodo probably gets less screen time here than in any of the other films, only dominating the drama in the last third. Instead, as with Hugo, it uses the cathedral of Notre Dame as the thread that binds all social stratas - Kings and beggars, thieves and soldiers, gypsies and alchemists, playwrights and aristocrats - giving a vivid portrait of a time and place half imagined, half real.

Quinn is more of a brute than we're used to seeing in our Quasimodos: unlike Laughton, he's no poetic soul trapped in a broken body but an animal who is given an inkling of what it means to be human. Lollabrigida fares better than usual as Esmerelda, and if their relationship is never moving, the ending, for once taken directly from the novel, is genuinely touching.

There are problems: the dubbing is at times irritating (and there is no French-language option on the disc), while Jean Danet is quite the most embarrassing Phoebus imaginable, stilted, impossibly smug and just plain odd-looking. Some key scenes are poorly staged, most notably Quasimodo's rescue of Esmerelda, while the hunchback is not given a strong entrance. But, if you're willing to take a chance and watch it with an open mind, the pleasant surprises outweigh them. While not the most lavish version, the scale and colour of the film, particularly in scenes such as the Court of Miracles, gives us a sense of a world around these characters, the addition of CinemaScope and some impressive sets helping to broaden the scale. Delannoy's direction is occasionally imaginative, with a good eye for the Scope frame. The script (co-written by 'Les Enfants du Paradis' Jacques Prevert) is often witty and doesn't shy from the darker tragic tone of the novel. Georges Auric's score, though ill-served by the original sound recording, is also a fine effort.

The transfer is good, with only a few edge enhancement problems, although it seems very slightly cropped in some shots, and the failings of the early CinemaScope lenses do result in an occasional loss of detail in some shots. The DVD even includes one brief torture sequence that has long been cut from many prints, as well as the original theatrical trailer.

Kept out of distribution for years (Disney bought the rights around the time they were working on their version and shelved it), the film has not been able to gain much of a reputation. Indeed, it continues to get short shrift from many critics - 'Time Out's film guide is particularly hostile. But, as they say in Britain, 'Time Out hated it, so it must be good.' And it is - not great, but certainly pretty good.

Faithfull
This is the first version of the movie and in my humble opinion, the best. I say this for one reason and one reason only, and that is that its the only version that ends the way the novel does. Without spoiling it I'll just say that its tragic yet the most romantic imaginable!!

More like the "Stoopedback" of Notre Dame
While this version of Victor Hugo's novel is more true to the tragic story than most, this version suffers from lackluster performances, slow pacing and some awkward dubbing. Anthony Quinn's performance in the title role suggests a cheap thug rather than the beautiful soul trapped in a hideous body. Gina Lollobrigida is full of sex appeal as the ill-fated gypsy dancer, Esmeralda, but she comes across like too much the tart, and not the innocent of the novel. While the photography is lovely, this film suffers in comparision to the other major versions of this classic tale. I would recommend this film only if you want to compare it with the other versions. Otherwise, see any of those instead.

This version runs a distant last place with all the other ve
While filmed in color, this version does not have the same menace as the Chaney and Laughton versions. Although in some areas' it follows Hugo's story better than the other versions. Quinn gives a good try, but Chaney is the best! ... Read more

Description

In his adaptation of the Tristan and Isolde legend, Jean Cocteau modernizes its eternal theme while making his mark as a master of poetic realism.The tragic story of a young man who falls hopelessly in love with his uncle's wife conjures both beauty and agony through intense dramatic performances, romantic Wagnerian music, and imaginative settings. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Mythic Cinema at its Most Memorable
This is a film that stays with you, even if you only watch it once. It has the surreal, epic quality of Jean Cocteau's finest works. It weaves a web of enchantment based on a strong, mythic theme and lush cinematography. ... Read more

Description

Perhaps Jean Delannoy's (The Eternal Return) best-loved film, La Symphonie Pastorale remains one of France's greatest contributions to cinema.This sensitive adaptation of Andre Gide's introspective novel is precisely constructed, brilliant ... Read more

Reviews (1)

La Symphonie Pastorale
La Symphonie Pastorale depicts the tale of a pasteur who takes in a young blind girl (Gertrude). The story concerns the ramifications of his involvement in her education and her life. The film sides on the melodramatic and certain physical qualites of both the Pasteur and Gertrude make their roles difficult to believe. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Mythic Cinema at its Most Memorable
This is a film that stays with you, even if you only watch it once. It has the surreal, epic quality of Jean Cocteau's finest works. It weaves a web of enchantment based on a strong, mythic theme and lush cinematography. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Wonderful Film, totally Inspirational, Magnificent
It is truly a shame that this great film is now almost unavailable. The film has been in the shadow of another truly great film, the Song of Bernadette. Unlike the Song of Bernadette, this movie has some elements of a lesser production, but in many ways is a greater more historically accurate movie. Anyone who is a true fan of Song of Bernadette should enjoy this movie. The movie ends showing the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette as it appears today in a chapel in Nevers France in the convent where she died. The more Catholic portrayal and the ending of this movie may be the cause for Hollywood to want to bury the movie, but I hope that is overcome. Jerome Quigley.

Bernadette
The most inspiring film of Bernadette I have ever watched. It has such wonderful meaning that I could watech it every day. I have loaned the film out so many times and now the last person (whom I can't remember) did not return it. It doesn't matter as long as it is enjoyed by all as much as I enjoyed it.

A message from Heaven
This video is truly inspiring which traces the story of the miracles which happened in Lourdes. In this beautifully animated story, it tells of the apparition of our Lady to St Bernadette and reveals sacred messages and pleas from Heaven for the conversion of sinners and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This video is particularly recommended for those parents whose children are currently attending catechism classes and preparing for first communion. For the adults, it will help to strengthen our Catholic faith and better prepare ourselves for eternity.

Moving and Beautifully Animated
Bernadette: Princess of Lourdes illustrates an important event in Church history and inspires children with the wonderful role models of Bernadette Soubirous, her family and parish priest. The story is moving and beautifully animated. Humble Bernadette receives a message of conversion for the world from a heavenly lady. Despite opposition from civil authorities, the message is confirmed by miracles of healing and conversion. The story is told simply enough for children as young as 3 years old. In fact, even my 2 1/2 year loved it and came running excitedly to tell me about "the lady! the lady!". ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I had a great time watching this movie!
The movie is in a sketch format, which is very early 60s, and so is general tone of the movie. But it breathes a very innocent early 1960s air: points are made with a lot of humor about many things in the human nature, love, or marriage, or divorce ; sometimes it comes out as corny, most of the time, you 'd love to see what a modern set of directors would do with this basically good material. Added bonus to the fun: there is an incredible array of famous French actors, directors,and writers from the 50s involved in this movie, and their words or diction is vintage 1950s French: hey, it's fun to learn French with such teachers, if movie watching is also an opportunity to practice your foreign language skills! I 'd say it is the kind of movie that makes you forget about the strange times we live now, a witty time capsule full of sedative quaintness. DVD's black and white is crisp and faultless too.

A light and funny French comedy
Shot in 1960 by the best French light comedy directors of that time (Christan-Jaque, Henri Verneuil, René Clair among others), Love and the Frenchwomen is a delightfully funny movie which follows the different stages in life of love, sexuality, and couple relationship. Although directed in the early 60s, Love and the Frenchwomen is still strangely up to date and caustic. The best part is of course the incredibly amusing performance by Jean-Paul Belmondo in the short "Adultery" in which he plays the buoyant lover who would do and say anything to get his pray in his bed. The part is all the more funny as you can hear the thoughts of the character in a voice off in which all tricks and low lies are being revealed. Although unequal as all movies made as a patchwork of stories directed by different directors, Love and the Frenchwomen is nevertheless a very entertaining movie which will keep you thinking and smiling long after you watched it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Wonderful Film, totally Inspirational, Magnificent
It is truly a shame that this great film is now almost unavailable. The film has been in the shadow of another truly great film, the Song of Bernadette. Unlike the Song of Bernadette, this movie has some elements of a lesser production, but in many ways is a greater more historically accurate movie. Anyone who is a true fan of Song of Bernadette should enjoy this movie. The movie ends showing the incorrupt body of St. Bernadette as it appears today in a chapel in Nevers France in the convent where she died. The more Catholic portrayal and the ending of this movie may be the cause for Hollywood to want to bury the movie, but I hope that is overcome. Jerome Quigley.

Bernadette
The most inspiring film of Bernadette I have ever watched. It has such wonderful meaning that I could watech it every day. I have loaned the film out so many times and now the last person (whom I can't remember) did not return it. It doesn't matter as long as it is enjoyed by all as much as I enjoyed it.

A message from Heaven
This video is truly inspiring which traces the story of the miracles which happened in Lourdes. In this beautifully animated story, it tells of the apparition of our Lady to St Bernadette and reveals sacred messages and pleas from Heaven for the conversion of sinners and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This video is particularly recommended for those parents whose children are currently attending catechism classes and preparing for first communion. For the adults, it will help to strengthen our Catholic faith and better prepare ourselves for eternity.

Moving and Beautifully Animated
Bernadette: Princess of Lourdes illustrates an important event in Church history and inspires children with the wonderful role models of Bernadette Soubirous, her family and parish priest. The story is moving and beautifully animated. Humble Bernadette receives a message of conversion for the world from a heavenly lady. Despite opposition from civil authorities, the message is confirmed by miracles of healing and conversion. The story is told simply enough for children as young as 3 years old. In fact, even my 2 1/2 year loved it and came running excitedly to tell me about "the lady! the lady!". ... Read more