Marina Vlady Movies

Le Infedeli is graced by two internationally popular leading ladies: Italy's Gina Lollobrigida and Sweden's Mai Britt. The two actresses are but small portions of a larger plot mosaic, all about keeping up appearances no matter what the provocation. A group of "respectable" people are all partly responsible for the suicide of a servant girl. They are pounced upon by a wily blackmailer (Pierre Cressoy), who knows that these people will pay dearly rather than inform on themselves or others. The villain's comeuppance may seem a bit extreme, but it's undeniably satisfying. This Carlo Ponti-Dino DeLaurentiis production also features Irene Papas and Marina Vlady. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this French "reality" drama, which translates to Before the Deluge, is a play on Louis XVI's famous prognostication, "Apres moi, le deluge." Set in 1950, the film concentrates on five Parisian adolescents. Certain that the next war will herald the apocalypse, the youngster make plans to run off to a desert island and set up a new society. This, however, will require money, which is why the boys decide to pull off a "necessary" robbery. Idealism collapses in the face of cold reality, as the five youths suffer from the consequences of their actions. Avant le Deluge was one of a group of films cowritten by director Andre Cayatte and Charles Spaak which endeavored to explore the touchy social issues of the day: others in the Cayatte-Spaak canon include the euthanasia-themed Justice est Faite and the capital-punishment tract Nous sommes tous des assassins. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this Italian musical extravaganza promises "Half a Century of Songs," and that's just what it delivers. What plot there is contrives to encapsulate seven crucial moments in modern Italian history, as represented by the popular songs of each era. Jam-packed with star power, the film offers such Mediterranean luminaries as Silvana Pampini, Renato Rascel, Maria Fiore and Franco Interleghi. Many of the performers play two or three different roles, with amusing results. Aimed directly and almost exclusively at Italian-language markets, Canzoni di Mezzo Secolo was not exactly a smash hit in the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

An Alexander Kouprine novel was the springboard for the contemporary melodrama Le Sorciere (The Sorceror). Marina Vlady stars as Ina, a beautiful, mysterious young Swedish girl who captures the heart of visiting French engineer Laurent Brulard (Maurice Ronet). Ina is forced by the local townsfolk to live in the deep forest because they believe that she's really a witch. Laurent pooh-poohs their provincial superstitions and pursues his romance with the girl. The ensuing tragedy is not altogether unexpected, but the impact of the film's final image still leaves the audience with a hollow feeling in the pit of the stomach. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this French prison drama loosely translates to Heels Go to Hell. Making his directorial debut, Robert Hossein also assumes the leading role, playing an escaped convict. Hossein and his fellow escapees cross the path of Marina Vlady, with whom they all fall in love. Alas for our "heroes," Vlady intends to avenge the death of her sweetheart at the hands of Hossein and his confreres. Not only do these heels go to Hell, but they do so with a spectacular flourish. Les Salauds Vont en Enfer was adapted by Rene Wheeler from a play by Frederic Dard. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

At the insistence of the Czechoslovakian judges, the French-Czech Liberte Sureveille (Provisional Liberty) was withdrawn from the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, though it was shown out of competition. The plot concerns the efforts of a young man to escape his own country in favor of a more agreeable clime. What is unusual here is that the hero is a Frenchman who yearns to live in communist Czechoslovakia! His wish is granted when, mistaken as a member of a French boating team, he manages to elude the democratic authorities long enough to scamper over the Czech border. It turns out that he is motivated by romance rather than politics, but still?.a man who wants to escape to the other side of the Iron Curtain????? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Robert Hossein was writer, director and star of the suspense melodrama Toi le Venin. Picked up by a beautiful motorist, jobless hitchhiker Pierre (Hossein) is subsequently romanced by the girl. Immediately thereafter, however, she dumps him, attempting to run him over as a final insult. Memorizing her license number, Pierre pursues the enigmatic motorist. Arriving at her home, Pierre is met by two young ladies (Marina Vlady and Odelle Versois), either one of whom might be the woman he's looking for. The rest of the film concerns Pierre's efforts to figure out which of his two hostesses intends to do him further harm. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One of three 1959 films starring the husband-and-wife team of Robert Hossein and Marina Vlady, La Sentence is a rather flat wartime suspense film with a good premise but weak dialogue. The setting is a beach house just before the Allied invasion on D-Day. A German officer has been killed by a commando unit of resistance fighters, three men and two women. They are caught and locked in the basement of the house until they can be executed in about an hour. During that sixty minutes, the five protagonists reveal a few secrets among themselves as rescuers and the Allied forces rapidly approach. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Adorable Menteuse is a mild French comedy starring Marina Vlady. She plays a garrulous 18-year-old girl who can't go five minutes without telling a lie. When she falls in love with an older man (all of forty!), she vows to reform and speak nothing but the truth. But Vlady's reputation precedes her, and as a consequence her gentleman friend refuses to take anything she says seriously. Adorable Menteuse has also been issued under the title Adorable Liar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This tragedy of two star-crossed lovers, directed by Jean Delannoy, is based on a 17th-century novel by Madame de La Fayette. When a young teen (Marina Vlady) marries the Prince of Cleves (Jean Marais), more than twice her age, she automatically becomes an official Princess and takes her new position to heart. Although distracted by the elite entertainments found at court, the princess cannot help but mourn her impossible love for the dashing Duc de Nemours (Jean-François Poron). Faithful to her husband in spite of her longings for the Duc, her fidelity -- as is always the case -- is unfairly doubted and maligned, leading to trouble all around. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

The seven major sins receive treatment from some of France's greatest directors in this lively portmanteau. "Anger" by Dhomme, chronicles a single horrific day when every bowl of soup in France is found to contain a fly. This causes a devastating nationwide revolt. "Envy" by Molinaro tells the story of a chambermaid whose dream of sleeping with a millionaire comes true. Unfortunately, she goes back to work and finds herself still consumed with jealousy. De Broca's "Gluttony" provides one of the film's most enjoyable episodes as it follows the exploits of a voracious family heading off for a funeral. "Lust" by Demy is set at a Parisian sidewalk cafe and eavesdrops upon the lusty conversation between two young men, one of whom has x-ray eyes that enable him to see through women's clothing. "Laziness" by Godard features real life matinee idol Constantine as a movie star who finds himself too sluggish to respond to the starlet trying so hard to seduce him. "Pride" by Roger Vadim tells the satirical tale of a philandering wife who changes her mind and stays with her husband after learning that her happy home is being threatened by another woman. Finally in Chabrol's "Greed," young men who have pooled their meager resources to buy a prostitute, fight for the chance to be with her. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi