7/10
The Girl with the Golden Iris.
16 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Whilst taking part in a best movies of 2017 poll on ICM,I found out that a "1960's Challenge" was taking place,which involved watching any films from that decade. Checking DVDs waiting to get viewed,I was excited to find a French New Wave title I never see mention fit into the decade,which led to me looking into the golden eyes.

View on the film:

Looking into the eyes of the French New Wave (FNW) storm,director Jean-Gabriel Albicocco & his cinematographer dad Quinto Albicocco shine a light on the era with fluid, ultra-stylised tracking/floating shots that glide into the debauchery life of Marsay.

Flooding the opening credits with flashing car lights, the Albicocco's glaze the dreamy camera moves with pristine lighting that gives a brooding appearance to Marsay's intro,that melts as a crisp,cold light of day focus surrounds the trio. Making Albicocco's debut be a "modern" adaptation to one part of Honoré de Balzac's 1835 Thirteen series of short stories, the screenplay by Pierre Pelegri and Philippe Dumarçay daringly has a brewing lesbian romance.

While the placement of Marsay in the middle does push the cliché that a good looking guy can turn lesbians straight,the icy intimacy between the ladies shines against Marsay's jack the lad attitude.

Keeping eye contact with the Albicocco's direction,the writers give the romance between the trio a scattering,FNW collage presentation,which whilst capturing the disenfranchised lifestyles they have, does lead to the romances being emotionally vague.

Greeting the next woman he wants to sleep with in a fox mask, Paul Guers gives a wonderful,devil may care performance as Marsay,whose disinterest in ending his hard living days Guers fractures by getting Marsay to look into a pair of golden eyes.

Finding herself to be another name on Marsay's bedpost, the beautiful Françoise Dorléac perfectly captures the criss-cross emotions Katia has for Marsay and fille,with Marie Laforêt leaving a haunting shadow as Fille,the girl with the golden eyes.
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