Summary
Paul lives with his over-protective sister Elisabeth and his dying mother. When
Paul is injured in a snowball fight, Elisabeth takes care of him, although she constantly
taunts him. The two are inseparable, sharing the same bed room and playing strange
games. Even when Elisabeth marries a wealthy business man, they continue to live
together, along with their friends Gérard and Agathe. Then, one day, Elisabeth
discovers that Agathe and Paul are in love...
Review
Jean Cocteau’s provocative 1929 novel enjoyed a difficult transition to the silver screen,
and even when this feat was accomplished the film was widely condemned for its allusions
to incest. (The Catholic press stated that the film was unsuitable for anyone
to watch.)
That not withstanding, the film is a magnificent piece of cinema in its own right.
It plays on the strengths of its two creators, the poetic author of fantasy, Jean Cocteau,
and the down-to-earth director, Jean-Pierre Melville (better known for his subsequent
gangster films). The result is a haunting study of an obsessive love between a brother
and sister, a brutally destructive love which poisons not just their own lives but the
lives of those around them.
Melville and Cocteau had difficulty seeing eye to eye on anything when making this film.
Cocteau foisted his then young protegé Edouard Dermithe onto Melville, insisting
he play Paul, even though it is patently obviously that he is too old and too butch to
play the part. Likewise, Cocteau objected to Melville’s choice of casting, although
Nicole Stéphane is superb as Elisabeth and gives a captivating performance throughout.
The two geniuses even disagreed over the choice of music, Melville finally getting his
way by using classical music (Vivaldi and Bach), an innovation at the time. The
poor relationship between Cocteau and Melville is reflected in the film’s often glacial
atmosphere and some pretty wooden acting.
Fortunately, the film had another creative genius to smooth over these difficulties: the
photographic director Henri Decae, who would become a much sought after photographer by
the New Wave directors. In this film, as in many of the subsequent films he worked
on, his camera work is remarkable. His use of reflections, unusual camera motion
(achieved through use of a hand-held camera), and shots from odd angles often gives the
illusion and intimacy of a Cocteau-esque nightmare. Decae’s contribution somehow
manges to bridge the gulf between Melville’s solid materialistic world and Cocteau’s ghostly
fantasy world.
© James Travers 2000
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