Reviews

The fickle workings of Fate throw together the fortunes of Catherine Deneuve's Françoise, an icy, misanthropic upper-class whore, and dashing, resourceful crook Simon Lacassaigne (played by Jaques Dutronc). They are obliged to go on the run together. Simon's ingenuity in thwarting and evading capture by the French, Canadian, and US authorities is greatly aided by the unbelievable stupidity of the officials involved. Deneuve gives her trademark icily hypnotic performance. The director is forced to use dream sequences to reveal her inner mind - a useful technique which her subsequent directors might have done well to consider. All in all: watchable, downbeat, nihilistic, atmospheric, creakily plotted chase movie just about held together by charismatic stars.

6/10.

Marie, trim bordering on skeletal, is married to only slightly dull François, who wants a 2nd child, (Marie doesn't but doesn't know why) (the 2 year old son comes up with some of the best acting in the film - how do they get them to do it?).

In the course of her work as an encyclopaedia sales person (echoes of Paper Moon) Marie meets Bill, a big black American who lives alone in a villa and seemingly never goes out.

She is simultaneously intrigued and put off by his large direct presence. Gradually the intrigue wins and she overtly seduces him (echoes of Belle du Jour). Mind blowing, graphic, complicated and frequent sex ensues.

It seems as though what Marie is getting from the relationship is more important to her than her husband (desolate), child (confused and weepy) or invalid mother (disapproving, though at least seems to show a flicker of understanding when Marie explains the attraction of sex with Bill being that Bill "invades" her).

The story fairly bowls along and Ann Coesens (Marie) is riveting throughout. The best acting in the course of sex I have ever seen.

The sex is not at all pornographic, actually - although pretty graphic, it serves to explore Marie's motivation rather than titillate.

Bill is something of a cypher: the figure of Temptation. Marie is given much more space to develop than any of the other characters - but Cousens' performance fills the screen.

Recommended.

This movie bombed at the box office and in the voting here but I loved it. One measure of a movie's worth is how much of it you can still remember after 25 years. I won't bore you with a list but there are dozens of deeply comic scenes, also a good story and great casting. The inept robbers are a hoot. See it and judge if it ever gets on TCM.

Involving, excellent hand held/documentary feel, account of a family reunion in a big old Danish hotel and the gradual, riveting unpeeling of layer after layer of tension and guilt leading to resolution. Super acting and character rendering. Intelligent, funny, beautiful to look at. Apparently subscribes to the "Dogme" film philosophy but it's entertainment first and dogma second. Great.

Def one of Stallones subtler efforts (yes he can do it) let down by a formulaic ending but still well worth seeing.