La Truite (1982) - film review

An adolescent working on her parents’ trout farm in rural France, Frédérique decides her future life.  She will extract all that she can from men whilst giving nothing in return.  She marries a gay man, Galuchat, and pursues a career in which she lures men and takes what she can from them.  At a bowling club, she meets a group of high flying executives, who prove to be an easy conquest...

It is hard to decide what to like least about this film – its lack of conviction in the plot and characterisation, the anaemic pace which is rendered painful by some inexplicably complex editing, or just the sheer lack of talent which is exhibited on either side of the camera.  None of the characters in the film is credible. which accounts for the lacklustre performances from the entire cast (without exception).  How could a film which stars three of French cinema’s finest actors (Huppert, Moreau and Cassel) be so dire?  The film’s one saving grace is Henri Alekan’s stunning and atmospheric location photography which provides a poignant echo of Losey’s earlier successes.

© James Travers 2003

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