Le Cri de la soie (1996) - film review

Paris, 1914.  An eminent psychiatrist, Gabriel de Villemer, takes an interest in the case of an illiterate young woman, Marie Benjamin, who was arrested for stealing a piece of silk.  Gabriel is fascinated by Marie’s extreme fetishism for the material and finds himself drawn to her, even beginning to share her obsession for fine fabrics.  Marie remains in prison, passing the time by learning to read and write, whilst Gabriel goes off to fight the Germans in North Africa.  After the war, Gabriel publishes his account of Marie’s case and soon after receives an unexpected visit from Marie...

This unusual romantic drama, liberally adapted from on the true-life story of psychiatrist and photographer de Gaëtan Gatian de Clérambault, is the first full length film from director Yvon Marciano.  Whilst the plot is interesting, if not to say bizarre, the film’s lack of passion and focus is frustrating in places.   There is certainly a great deal of dramatic potential in the drama, but this is not adequately exploited and overall the film feels lacklustre and slow-moving.   However, the film’s biggest fault is that, despite intense performances from Sergio Castellitto and Marie Trintignant, the characters in the film retain an impenetrable cold reserve which makes it difficult for an audience to engage with them.

© James Travers 2002

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