(1964, French, dir. Francois Truffaut)
Pierre (Jean Desailly) is a writer and lecturer, married and with a daughter, who embarks on an affair with Nicole (Francoise Dorleac), a young flight attendant he meets on one of his business trips. Things don't go quite the way he intended. When his wife Franca (Nelly Benedetti - pictured below) finds out about it, there's hell to pay.
Much has been written about Truffaut's use in this film of so-called modern conveniences and how they in fact interfere with the pleasant flow of life, causing characters to be in a continual process of stop and go. He brilliantly highlights the way in which these technological advances inhibit personal contact and revelations. It's a large theme of this film.
Annette Insdorf, in her book on Truffaut, mentions the car and the telephone as two recurring modern inventions which both help and hinder Pierre. She cites the telephone as the medium which brings about his eventual demise, but one could also maintain that it is the camera, and what it reveals, which ultimately brings about the violent conclusion. Rather than tell Franca himself about the affair (as Nicole had suggested), Pierre opts, yet again, to avoid personal and direct communication, leaving Franca to make the shattering discovery alone as she goes to the photoshop and picks up the photographic evidence of his betrayal.
The men in this movie have the most horrible timing! Pierre's hesitation to make a phone call costs him dearly. And in one of my favorite scenes, a Don Juan type tries to pick up Franca right after she's seen the pictures of her husband with another woman! She completely unloads on him, though it's only a precursor to what she's got in store for Pierre.
Although I don't think it was Truffaut's intention to in anyway endorse Franca's vengeful actions, I couldn't help almost admiring her at the end. Now, wait a minute...no, I'm NOT advocating murder, or implying she was justified! But after watching the many indecisions of Pierre, it was something of a relief to see someone act so decisively. Horribly wrong, yes, but decisive nonetheless. I also must admit I did love her smile at the end!
Why do I get the feeling men aren't going to like my opinion on this film too much!:-)
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