This 1966 collaboration between British (previously, predominantly) social-realist director, Tony Richardson, and the great French actress Jeanne Moreau transpires as a never-less-than intriguing watch. Once we've got past the fact that Richardson's largely French cast (apart from the Italian constituent - who speak Italian with sub-titles) speak, admittedly quite convincingly, in English, this tale of Moreau's rural French titular secretary and teacher and part-time arsonist and poisoner impresses on a number of fronts. The sexual tension between Mlle and Ettore Manni's hunky Italian widower and woodcutter (who is lusted after by the women villagers), Manou, is palpable and Richardson (and writers Marguerite Duras and Jean Genet) stylishly, with outstanding black-and-white help from cinematographer, David Watkin, gives us repeated Bunuellian fetishistic touches, as Mlle lingers on her black stockings and stilettos. Outside of the apparent influence of Bunuel (particularly Diary of Chambermaid, in which Moreau also starred two years previously), the other obvious comparator here is with the work of Claude Chabrol, who is notorious for frequent excursions into seemingly idyllic rural French society being disrupted by sinister forces.
Of course, the other key influence here on Moreau's apparently unexplained dark (sometimes sadistic) tendencies is writer Genet, whose anti-establishment credentials feed into the film's portrayal of a borderline anarchist. In addition, we get the discernible theme around the local hatred for Manou's incomer (the actor Manni, together with Keith Skinner as his son, Bruno, turning in impressive performances). This hatred is likely simple racism - following the Italian role in WW2 - perhaps tinged with a local feeling of a reluctance to accept that the 'evil' presence could be emanating 'from within' (itself linked to the 'disgrace' of war-time collaboration). Whatever, Richardson's film looks superb throughout, whether Watkin is giving us off-centre framing (in particular, of Moreau's similarly off-centre character), use of mirrors, some stunning farm livestock sequences or the obvious use of phallic symbolism in relation to Manou (chainsaw, trees falling or, particularly outstanding, the snake in Manou and Mlle's first encounter in the forest).
Perhaps the film's only weak element is the latter 'coupling' episode between Mlle and Manou, which goes on for too long - as a result, the film could easily be pruned by, say, 15 minutes. As noted, the adoption of English as the spoken language is generally not an issue, except perhaps in the odd moment, such as in the late scene where (on seeing Mlle arriving) the villagers exclaim ''Ere, look 'ere it's Mademoiselle!'. Alongside Bunuel and Chabrol, the other obvious comparator film, where Moreau is again, impressively and subtly, deranged, is Truffaut's The Bride Wore Black.
1 out of 1 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink