Alexandre Astruc Movies
Alexandre Astruc is one of the great film theorists; he was also a filmmaker. Unfortunately, but for one exception, his films fell short of his own critical ideals. One of his strongest arguments was for the idea of la caméra-stylo in which the camera is seen as a pen with its own unique language and that the images themselves add nuance and develop the narrative as much as the dialog does. According to Astruc in his article "The Birth of a New Avant-Garde: La caméra-stylo," camera movements "relate objects to objects and characters to objects. All thought, like all feeling, is a relationship between one human being and another human being...." Astruc started his film career in 1947 as an assistant to Marc Allegret on the film Blanche Fury. He spent the next two years working on two amateur films, and collaborating on two scripts with Archad. He made his professional directorial debut in 1949. The films he made were highly academic representations of his theories with an overattentiveness to style that frequently resulted in their having a cool abstract quality devoid of real human feeling or drama. His one notable exception is his film Une Vie (195, an adaptation of Maupassant that was exquisitely photographed by Claude Renoir. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 2001
One woman's actions inspire a variety of reactions among those around her in this period drama. Therese (Laetitia Casta) and Firmin (Frédéric Diefenthal) are a young couple of modest means living in France in 1882. Firmin earns a living as a blacksmith, while Therese finds work at an inn. At the inn, Therese makes a point of making the acquaintance of Mme. Numance (Arielle Dombasle), a wealthy woman who is known for her compassion and eagerness to help those less fortunate. When Therese loses her job after getting pregnant, Mme. Numance takes pity on the young couple, and invites them to move into the estate she shares with her husband (John Malkovich). Therese and Mme. Numance become close friends, and before long the lady of the house has come to regard Therese more as a daughter than a guest. But some believe Therese might be using her friendship with Mme. Numance for her own gain, which in their eyes is confirmed when Therese borrows a large sum of money from her benefactors after Firmin develops legal trouble. Therese and Firmin are unable to pay back the Numances, and soon the wealthy couple falls on hard times; those watching these events unfold wonder if Therese deliberately brought the generous family to ruin, or if is it all a product of simple naïveté. Alexandre Astruc helped to adapt the screenplay for Les Ames Fortes, based on the novel by Jean Giono; Astruc was also set to direct the project at one point, but after his unexpected death, Raúl Ruiz stepped up to the director's chair. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laetitia Casta, Frédéric Diefenthal, (more)
- 1976
The French title of this feature-length documentary (filmed in 1976, released in the US six years later), is Sartre par lui meme. In English and French, the point is made. The focus is of course on the famed French existentialist author/ poet/ playwright/ philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-80). Sartre himself appears on screen from time to time, discussing-but, wisely, never thoroughly explaining--his outlook on life. The film was codirected by longtime Sartre admirer Alexandre Astruc and Michel Contat. At 190 minutes, Sartre by Himself will probably appeal most to those already familiar with Sartre's works. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1974
- R
Charlotte is better known by its original French title, La Jeune Fille Assassinee. The film combines Roger Vadim's overriding twin fascinations: eroticism and death. Charlotte (Sirpa Lane) dreams of dying violently while in the throes of an orgasm. This curious desire is the principal motivation for her entering into a life of crime. In addition to directing Charlotte, Vadim also produced, scripted, and played a major on-screen role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Vadim, Sirpa Lane, (more)
- 1968
Two Yugoslavian patriots try to scuttle a seized warship from World War II rather than let it fall into the hands of the Germans. They contemplate sailing to England to use the boat in the fight against the Nazi invaders. The captain is bound to follow orders while a Nazi collaborator on board secretly plots to take over the vessel. The two friends vow they will take the ship apart one piece at a time rather than give it up. When their alternative plans fail to materialize, they succeed in wrecking the ship in this routine war drama. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Barray, Claudine Auger, (more)
- 1966
A doctor (Maurice Ronet) is kidnapped by a resistance group fighting the Nazis in this World War II action drama. A young lieutenant (Robert Hossein) saves the doctor from being executed by people who believe the doctor had turned their names over to the authorities. In spite of the heroic effort of the lieutenant, the Nazis are able to kidnap the doctor from the group's mountain hideout. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hossein, Maurice Ronet, (more)
- 1962
Based on a novel by noted French author Gustave Flaubert, this routine love story centers on the romantic "education" of young student Frederic (Jean-Claude Brialy), who works for an important businessman and also lives in the servants' quarters in his boss's house. Frederic develops a passion for the wife of one of his boss's employees but is not successful in seducing her into any sort of a relationship. Without missing a beat, he ends up with the employee's mistress instead -- but not for long. By now Frederic has devised a way to get through to the wife he still desires though exactly how successful he will be this time around is questionable. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Brialy, Marie-José Nat, (more)
- 1960
Director Alexandre Astruc is known for his abstract, avant-garde works such as this interesting film about a woman longing for independence. Anna (Annie Girardon) is married to Eric (Daniel Gelin) who has old-fashioned ideas about a woman never working (outside the home, that is). But Eric is also magnanimous enough to "give" Anna the freedom to run her own gallery. His ambivalence remains unresolved, contributing to Anna's sense of loneliness. Her plight, in turn, leads her into a love affair with Bruno (Christian Marquand), a man much more romantic than her husband. But as she becomes more committed to her art gallery, the men in her life -- legitimate and otherwise -- start to fade for several reasons. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annie Girardot, Daniel Gélin, (more)
- 1958
A Life is based on a novel by Guy De Mauppasant. Maria Schell plays Jeanne, who enters into a loveless marriage with impoverished Julien (Christian Marquand). Having married Jeanne only for her money, Julien has no qualms about carrying on an affair with Gilberte (Antonella Lualdi), the family maid. Even after Gilberte gives birth to Julien's child, Jeanne forgives her husband, but he fails to learn his lesson and suffers spectacularly as a result. The physical and psychological isolation of the long-suffering heroine is emphasized by director Alexandre Astruc's decision to film Un Vie almost exclusively in a remote, sterile country mansion. Un Vie was released in the U.S. as End of Desire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Schell, Christian Marquand, (more)
- 1955
Anouk Aimee stars as a young woman of humble means who maneuvers her way into the uppermost rungs of French society. How she does it, and the price she has to pay along the way, is unfolded through a series of flashbacks. Since Anouk is recalling her life while in the offices of an abortionist, one suspects that things haven't gone quite as well as she'd hoped. Roland Laudenbach's screenplay was adapted from a novel by Cecil St. Laurent. During its very brief American release, Les Mauvaises Rencontres was known as The Bad Liaisons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Pascal, Anouk Aimée, (more)
- 1953
Deux Crimes d'Amour (Two Love Crimes) is comprised of two separate, but thematically linked, short films. "Mina de Vangel," directed by Maurice Clavel and Maurice Barry, is based on a novelette by Stendhal (The Red and the Black), wherein a starry-eyed German lass (Odile Versois), betrayed by a French roue, vainly tries to find happiness with a decent man (Alain Cuny) for whom she works as a domestic. The second film is the award-winning "Le Rideau Cramoisi" ("The Scarlet Curtain"), adapted from a short novel by Barbey D'Aurevilly and directed by Alexandre Astruc. When a Napoleonic soldier (Jean-Claude Pascal) is billeted with a French family, all social proprieties are observed--a first. But a chance physical contact with the enigmatic daughter (Anouk Aimee) of the household leads to a torrid romance, which in turn leads to tragedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Odile Versois, Alain Cuny, (more)
- 1952
Barbara Laage plays the title role in the ironic French drama The Respectful Prostitute. No one considers Lizzie (Ms. Laage) particularly respectful until one of her clients is accused of a crime. Summoned to court, Lizzie perjures herself, hoping to become socially respectable-and in so doing, she betrays her black lover. In the end, Lizzie has nothing to show for her "grand gesture". Originally titled La Putain Respecteuse, the film was adapted from a 1946 play by Jean-Paul Sartre. Now all but forgotten, The Respectful Prostitute was a runner-up in the "best picture" category at the 1952 Venice Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Laage, Ivan Desny, (more)
