After getting an E-Mail from a DVD seller about them having a big sale on,I started looking round for interesting titles. With having been impressed by her performance in the excellent 1966 French New Wave film The Creatures,I was delighted to spot Catherine Deneuve's other movie from '66,which led to me getting ready to address this matter of resistance.
The plot-
Nazi-Occupied France:
Living in a château with her stubborn husband Jérôme growing apples as the chaos of war takes place outside their château, Marie discovers that a large number of apples have been disappearing. Looking round the gardens,Marie runs into a mysterious man called Julien resting.Following a line of eaten apples,Marie discover that Julien is a Resistance fighter.
View on the film:
Taking on a subject (the Occupation) rarely discussed in French cinema at the time,co-writer/(along with Alain Cavalier/Claude Sautet & Daniel Boulanger) director Jean-Paul Rappeneau and cinematographer Pierre Lhomme address the issue in a whimsical manner,via the crisp B&W giving the film a breezy atmosphere which allows Rappeneau to dip into slap-stick Comedy and dashing romance. Whilst glossing most of the movie in an easy-going,oddly "British" mood (pip pip!), Rappeneau gives the battle scenes a surprising level of realism,as the Resistance take on the Nazis with not even moonlight helping to guide them.
Giving the movie a light appearance,the screenplay by Rappeneau/ Cavalier/ Sautet & Boulanger find spaces for a delightfully funny sticky satirical filling,by making Jérôme try to keep the Nazis on side in order to keep the land safe,whilst secretly plotting against them. Initially making Jérôme suspicious of any "outsider",the writers superbly unleash Julien's impact on Jérôme in a gradual manner,which leads to Jérôme catching everyone by surprise by becoming the hero.
Catching Marie's attention with his rugged looks, Henri Garcin gives a terrific performance as Julien,whose flirty lines Garcin uses as a cover for Julien's determination to succeed,whilst Philippe Noiret gives a great grumpy old bear performance as Jérôme.Working with Rappeneau a second time on 1975's Le Sauvage,the gorgeous Catherine Deneuve gives a deliciously sassy performance as Marie,who makes it a matter of resistance to not conforming to any expectations.
The plot-
Nazi-Occupied France:
Living in a château with her stubborn husband Jérôme growing apples as the chaos of war takes place outside their château, Marie discovers that a large number of apples have been disappearing. Looking round the gardens,Marie runs into a mysterious man called Julien resting.Following a line of eaten apples,Marie discover that Julien is a Resistance fighter.
View on the film:
Taking on a subject (the Occupation) rarely discussed in French cinema at the time,co-writer/(along with Alain Cavalier/Claude Sautet & Daniel Boulanger) director Jean-Paul Rappeneau and cinematographer Pierre Lhomme address the issue in a whimsical manner,via the crisp B&W giving the film a breezy atmosphere which allows Rappeneau to dip into slap-stick Comedy and dashing romance. Whilst glossing most of the movie in an easy-going,oddly "British" mood (pip pip!), Rappeneau gives the battle scenes a surprising level of realism,as the Resistance take on the Nazis with not even moonlight helping to guide them.
Giving the movie a light appearance,the screenplay by Rappeneau/ Cavalier/ Sautet & Boulanger find spaces for a delightfully funny sticky satirical filling,by making Jérôme try to keep the Nazis on side in order to keep the land safe,whilst secretly plotting against them. Initially making Jérôme suspicious of any "outsider",the writers superbly unleash Julien's impact on Jérôme in a gradual manner,which leads to Jérôme catching everyone by surprise by becoming the hero.
Catching Marie's attention with his rugged looks, Henri Garcin gives a terrific performance as Julien,whose flirty lines Garcin uses as a cover for Julien's determination to succeed,whilst Philippe Noiret gives a great grumpy old bear performance as Jérôme.Working with Rappeneau a second time on 1975's Le Sauvage,the gorgeous Catherine Deneuve gives a deliciously sassy performance as Marie,who makes it a matter of resistance to not conforming to any expectations.