Film Review
À cause, à cause d'une
femme, the fourth movie by filmmaker Michel Deville, had its
Parisian premiere on the 17th April 1963. Although the title of
this crime-comedy refers to a poem by Verlaine, it is actually no more
than a pleasant piece of light-hearted banter. The film's style
is typical of this original author whose touching and entertaining
approach to filmmaking will be used to great effect in several movies
to come.
In this delicious little fantasy, Deville amuses himself and the viewer
as he depicts the multiple amorous relations of a handsome young man
accused of murder by a jealous woman. When two of the man's
mistresses decide to join forces and help him out, the fresh and
pleasing mixture of vaudeville and crime investigation develops into a
story that brims with humour and bittersweet poignancy. The
classical music chosen by Deville provides the perfect support for both
the intimate and more lively scenes.
Cast by Deville to play the irresistible Don Juan character, Jacques
Charrier gives a less than convincing performance, perhaps on account
of the private problems he had to deal with at the time. By
contrast, the female characters are portrayed more effectively by a
brace of talented actresses. These include: Mylene Demongeot
(later used by Deville in
L'Appartement
des filles and also the star of the
Fantômas
films with Louis de Funès); Marie Laforêt (first seen
alongside Alain Delon in René Clément's masterpiece
Plein
soleil); Juliette Mayniel (revealed by Claude Chabrol's
Les
Cousins and Georges Franju's
Les Yeux sans visage), Jill
Haworth (a British actress seen in Otto Preminger's
Exodus and André
Hunebelle's
Les Mystères de Paris).
We should also note, in supporting roles, Odile Versois (the sister of
actress Marina Vlady) and German actor Helmut Griem (revealed in Bob
Fosse's
Cabaret).
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium) 2012
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Next Michel Deville film:
L'Appartement des filles (1963)
Film Synopsis
The young and seductive Rémi is a lady's man of the first
degree. He knows that women find his charms irresistible and he
exploits the fact to his advantage, oblivious to the hearts he may
break along the way. Rémi's present entourage includes
Nathalie, who loves him with indifference, Lisette, who loves him with
a childish playfulness, Agathe, who loves him passionately, and
Chloé, who loves him with a fierce possessiveness bordering on
sociopathic obsession. Of these, Chloé is the most
dangerous, and, jealous of her rivals, she accuses Rémi of
murdering her boyfriend. To clear his name, Rémi begins
his own investigation, assisted by Lisette and Agathe. Along the
way, Rémi meets Cecilia, an alluring woman who proves to be a
far greater interest to him than the solution of the murder mystery...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.