This well-acted piece has enough common plot points to warrant comparison to the many "Lolita" movies: it is the story of a middle aged man who develops a friendship with a young school girl and then becomes infatuated with her. This story differs from the "Lolita" tales in its treatment of the two main characters, who both come across with a naivete that suffuses the plot with ambiguity; much of the time we are not really sure if there is something untoward going on between them or if outsiders are projecting a sexual relationship where none exists. Stand out performances by Mr. Kinski as the older man and by Miss Palmer as the innocently beguiling young girl.
Review of La femme enfant
