Danièle Delorme Movies

The young protagonist of this French film has decided to live his life "as a poem," but finds that this is not possible. He is also undecided about whether he is homosexual or not, and if so, what to do about it. His disinterest in coping with messy realities is sufficient to send him to his death by a drug overdose. The story is told using excerpts from the man's diary, with flashbacks, and through his asides to the audience. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This amiable French comedy stars Philipe Noiret as Alexander, an shiftless farmer who prefers sleep to work. After his nagging wife dies, Alexander becomes even lazier. The farmer becomes entranced by a beautiful young woman, and proposes marriage. But when his prospective wife gives evidence of being just as domineering as wife number one, Alexander balks at the altar and retreats to his previous life of ease. Originally titled Alexandre Le Bienhereaux, Very Happy Alexander was directed by Yves Robert, best known for his international success The Tall Blond Man with the One Black Shoe. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The line between fantasy and reality is once more blurred in this Belgian/French drama about a professor of literature who develops an obsession with a beautiful woman he meets (or imagines meeting) in the woods. He has an affair with this woman, but before he can run off with her, his daughter, who is an object of his incestuous desire (as several daydream sequences make clear), kills the stranger. Perhaps, though, his daughter only kills his daydreams when she gets married. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Cleo From 5 to 7 (Cleo de cinq a sept), per its title, concentrates on two hours in the life of a woman. Those hours are desperate ones, in that Cleo, a pop singer, awaits the results of her tests for cancer. Director Agnes Varda stages the film in "real" rather than subjective time, its various episodes divided into chapters, using significant Tarot cards. During the allotted time, Cleo visits her friends, tries to sing her worries away, spends money, and cries. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

When a museum depicting the violence man inflicts on himself opens, a doctor, a woman and a museum official go through the building before the grand opening. Discussing the subject matter, their attention quickly turns to the May Day riots that plagued Paris. This symbolic film tries to portray all victims of violence as Christlike figures. Stock footage of war and suffering are used to underscore the effectiveness of the subject matter in this uneven feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

This French film version of Colette's best-selling novel Gigi predated both the 1950 stage adaptation and the 1958 Hollywood musical of the same name. Set in fin de siecle Paris, The story is the familiar one about 16-year-old Gigi (Daniele Delorme), a waif-like creature who is trained to become a Parisian courtesan by her worldly wise Aunt, Mme. Alvarez (Yvonne de Bray). The girl's first assignment is to serve as the "arm ornament" of wealthy playboy Gaston (Frank Villard), whose previous experiences with women have turned him into something of misogynist. When Gigi falls genuinely in love with Gaston, Mme. Alvarez is appalled: after all, true love is bad for business. Gaston is likewise taken aback by Gigi's devotion -- until he realizes with startling suddenness that he has fallen for her. Long unavailable in the U.S. due to the Oscar-winning MGM musical remake, Gigi happily resurfaced on American cable television in the mid-1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Helle Waver (Daniele Delorme) works in a department store in Nantes, and while she is on vacation at a seacoast resort, she meets a kindred spirit in Louis Zannella (Mario Adorf), who is also in the retail business -- he sells bathroom fixtures and furnishings. Both Helle and Louis are divorced, with adult children -- and both are involved with someone else. Yet a summer romance starts to blossom, in spite of their set ways and independent thinking. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Anne (Jane Birkin) is a seriously disturbed young woman who is driven to leave her husband for awhile and go home to her parents in the countryside. Once there, she comes up against many of the primal causes of her own imbalanced mind. Her father is in an indecisive relationship with both his wife (Natasha Parry) and his mistress (Eva Rensi), and does not seem a pillar of stability himself. When Anne confronts her father, their relationship degenerates, leaving little promise for the future. Viewers should take note that the film deals with social taboos, such as incest. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In this crime drama, an amiable, popular middle-age man (Bernard Blier) abruptly changes when he heads out for a nice picnic, sees a half-naked girl, makes a pass at her, gets rejected, and kills her. No one is the wiser and her lover ends up taking the rap. During the ensuing trial, the real killer finds himself on the jury. As he listens, his conscience begins to bother him and he helps get the defendant acquitted but the town community refuses to accept it. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

La Jeune Folle is based on a novel by Catherine Beauchamp. Daniele Delorme delivers a brilliant performance as an Irish colleen named Catherine, who because of her vivid imagination and unorthodox behavior is considered to be a lunatic. In one of her delusional moments, she imagines that her dead brother is calling for her. She searches for her brother within the ranks of the Irish rebel organization responsible for his death, falling in love with the man (Henri Vidal) who, unbeknownst to her, ordered the killing. Upon learning the truth, Catherine lives only for revenge, leading to an explosive, almost operatic climax. La Jeune Folle was released in English-speaking countries as The Mad Girl and Desperate Decision. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi