Marthe Mercadier Movies

Apparently the intention here was to make a parody of soft-porn, creating a kind of pornody based on the tales of a pair of blue panties and their adventures as they travel from one owner to the next. If one can accept that used underwear is handed over from one woman to another, and that the said underwear can relate the sexual exploits of the women in glorious, explicit color, then maybe psychotherapy would be preferable over this movie. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Blue Jeans is a French coming-of-age film set in England. A group of French schoolboys conspire to lose their virginity while visiting the British isles (thereby reversing the usual procedure) The most impressionable of the lads learns a little more about life and love than simply the sexual aspects. Otherwise, this film titillates on a level almost as immature as its protagonists. The video version of Blue Jeans is unrated. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Christa Winsloe's novel Maedchen in Uniform was first filmed in Germany in 1933. The story, about a sensitive schoolgirl's lesbian attachment to her headmistress, was handled tastefully, albeit with remarkable frankness for its period. The 1958 remake is somewhat toned down and the material directed in a routine fashion, though technically the production has fewer frayed edges than the 1933 version. Romy Schneider stars in the old Hertha Thiele role as the student, while Lili Palmer takes over from Dorothea Wieck as the older woman. Made in 1958, the remake of Maedchen in Uniform was not released in the U.S. until 1965, possibly because it went against the production code edict concerning "suicide as a plot solution." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Dany Carrel essays the title role in Elisa. Set in 19th-century Paris, the film details the friendship between likeable streetwalker Elisa and a blind street organist, played by Serge Reggiani. Things take a melodramatic turn early on when Elisa is arrested because of her mother's illegal abortion racket. Too "soiled" for any respectable lover, Elisa turns to Reggiani, who is unaware of her profession. Alas, when he learns the truth, his baser instincts overtake him, and tragedy results. Elisa was based on a novel by Edomond de Goncourt. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The literal translation of Le Feu aux Poudres is The Burning Fuse. The title itself is symbolic, referring to the fact that time is running out for its protagonist, undercover policeman Raymond Pellegrin. Infiltrating a gang of gunrunners, Pellegrin makes a tactical error by falling in love with the gang-leader's moll (Francoise Fabian). As much a musical as an actioner, Le Feu aux Poudres even allows one of the villains (Dario Moreno) to burst into song! Le Feu aux Poudres represented writer-director Henri Decoin's return to films after a two-year absence. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The French/Italian Obsession was based on a novel by American suspense writer William Irish (aka Cornell Woolrich). Michelle Morgan and Raf Vallone are carnival performers, touring the provinces with a successful trapeze act. Though Morgan knows that Vallone is on the lam from a murder charge, she marries him anyway. When Vallone is sidelined by an injury, he is replaced by handsome young aerialist Jean Gaven, an unsuspecting friend of the man Vallone killed. Gaven is himself bumped off before long, prompting the disillusioned Morgan to turn over Vallone to the authorities. As it turns out, we're in Postman Always Rings Twice territory: Vallone didn't kill Gaven, but by the time the guilty party confesses, the police have confirmed that Vallone was responsible for the earlier murder. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Act of Love was based on The Girl on the Via Flamina, a novel by Alfred Hayes. Kirk Douglas plays an American soldier, participating in the 1944 liberation of France. Making the acquaintance of impoverished Parisian girl Dany Robin, Douglas takes pity on the girl, pretending to be married to her so that she won't be unfairly arrested as a prostitute. When Douglas attempts to make their union legal, he is denied permission by his superior officers. So far as they are concerned, Robin is just another little opportunist, marrying a GI in order to gain US citizenship. But Robin is genuinely in love with Douglas-and proves it, in a profoundly tragic manner. Producer/director Anatole Litvak and screenwriter Irwin Shaw do their best to bring some cinematic excitement to the somber goings-on. Act of Love represents the first appearance in an English-speaking film by Brigitte Bardot, here playing the minor role of "Mimi". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi