Though I read Émile Zola's novel more than 30 years ago, I remember Thérèse as a more brutal character than presented here. Zola, like his naturalistic literary contemporaries, Jack London, Stephen Crane, and Frank Norris (from which Greed was derived), saw man as a brute guided by naturalistic (social or environmental) forces beyond their power or control. Maybe the films of the early 50s had to tame their characters a bit to comport with the mores of the time. Nevertheless, this film covers most of the elements of the novel and relayed them in a contemporary setting.
Thérèse (Simone Signoret) lives in Lyon and is married to her whimpering and sickly cousin, Camille (Jacques Duby). Their marriage was arranged by her aunt (Camille's strong-willed mother), Madame Raquin (Sylvie), after Thérèse's parents had died and there was nowhere else for her to turn. Thérèse is treated like a servant and waits on Camille and his mother hand and foot, both in their little notions shop (as a sales clerk) and in their home, above the shop. While Camille orders her about, it is clear that Madame Raquin is the power behind everything in her son's life.
Stuck in this sham marriage, Thérèse's life is dull and routine until one day, when her drunk husband is brought home by an affable (foreign) truck driver, Laurent (Raf Vallone). Laurent soon becomes one of the family friends, and he and Thérèse fall in love. When Camille discovers this, he threatens Laurent, then Thérèse, then both together. But, he is so weak-willed that he is unable to stand up to them. Camille's next attempt to keep Thérèse is to take her on a trip to Paris. But, when Laurent appears on the same train, after being tipped off by Thérèse, Camille is thrown from the rapidly moving train while he quarrels with Laurent.
With no witnesses to prove that they were together, the two lovers decide to split up for awhile until Camille's 'accidental death' blows over. What they don't anticipate is that a sailor sleeping in their compartment had witnessed them together and that he, Michaud (Marcel André), would later blackmail them.
Interestingly, when Thérèse's mother-in-law-from-hell hears of her son's death, she instantly suffers a stroke that leaves her at Thérèse's mercy. Unable to move or communicate, Madame Raquin can now be scolded by Thérèse without any talk back. Also, she has to look on as Thérèse and Laurent plan how to deal with their blackmailer.
Actually, the best part of his so-so Zola adaptation is the interactions between the two lovers and their clever blackmailer. The film is worth seeing, if only for its bizarre and twisted ending. In spite of the other reviews that I have read of this film, I DON'T believe that the ending is conventional nor is it wrapped up the way a traditionalist would think it would be..
Thérèse (Simone Signoret) lives in Lyon and is married to her whimpering and sickly cousin, Camille (Jacques Duby). Their marriage was arranged by her aunt (Camille's strong-willed mother), Madame Raquin (Sylvie), after Thérèse's parents had died and there was nowhere else for her to turn. Thérèse is treated like a servant and waits on Camille and his mother hand and foot, both in their little notions shop (as a sales clerk) and in their home, above the shop. While Camille orders her about, it is clear that Madame Raquin is the power behind everything in her son's life.
Stuck in this sham marriage, Thérèse's life is dull and routine until one day, when her drunk husband is brought home by an affable (foreign) truck driver, Laurent (Raf Vallone). Laurent soon becomes one of the family friends, and he and Thérèse fall in love. When Camille discovers this, he threatens Laurent, then Thérèse, then both together. But, he is so weak-willed that he is unable to stand up to them. Camille's next attempt to keep Thérèse is to take her on a trip to Paris. But, when Laurent appears on the same train, after being tipped off by Thérèse, Camille is thrown from the rapidly moving train while he quarrels with Laurent.
With no witnesses to prove that they were together, the two lovers decide to split up for awhile until Camille's 'accidental death' blows over. What they don't anticipate is that a sailor sleeping in their compartment had witnessed them together and that he, Michaud (Marcel André), would later blackmail them.
Interestingly, when Thérèse's mother-in-law-from-hell hears of her son's death, she instantly suffers a stroke that leaves her at Thérèse's mercy. Unable to move or communicate, Madame Raquin can now be scolded by Thérèse without any talk back. Also, she has to look on as Thérèse and Laurent plan how to deal with their blackmailer.
Actually, the best part of his so-so Zola adaptation is the interactions between the two lovers and their clever blackmailer. The film is worth seeing, if only for its bizarre and twisted ending. In spite of the other reviews that I have read of this film, I DON'T believe that the ending is conventional nor is it wrapped up the way a traditionalist would think it would be..