Contempt (1963) Le mépris (original title)

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writer:

Alberto Moravia (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

18 December 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Bardot at her bold, bare and brazen best! Reveling in Rome, cavorting in Capri...jolting even the jaded international jet-set in her pursuit of love! [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

Paul Javal is a writer who is hired to make a script for a new movie about Ulysses more commercial,...

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Apartment | American | Capri | Italy

Cast

Brigitte Bardot	...	Camille Javal
Michel Piccoli	...	Paul Javal
Jack Palance	...	Jeremy Prokosch
Giorgia Moll	...	Francesca Vanini
Fritz Lang	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Raoul Coutard	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Jean-Luc Godard	...	Lang's Assistant Director (uncredited)
Linda Veras	...	Siren (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Luc Godard

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean-Luc Godard		uncredited
Alberto Moravia		novel "Il Disprezzo"

Produced by
Georges de Beauregard	....	producer
Carlo Ponti	....	producer
Joseph E. Levine	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Georges Delerue
Piero Piccioni		(Italian and Spanish version)

Cinematography by
Raoul Coutard

Film Editing by
Agnès Guillemot
Lila Lakshmanan		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Tanine Autré		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Odette Berroyer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Philippe Dussart	....	production manager
Carlo Lastricati	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles L. Bitsch	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Robert Sivel	....	sound (as William Sivel)

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe D'Amato	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Other crew
Annie Chauvet	....	publicist (uncredited)
Suzanne Schiffman	....	script girl (uncredited)
Bertrand Tavernier	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Les Films Concordia
• Rome Paris Films
• Compagnia Cinematografica Champion (co-production)

Distributors

• Embassy Pictures Corporation (1964) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (2002) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cinelux-Filmi (1964) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (1997) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Rialto Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Strand Releasing (????) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Interfilm
• Marceau-Cocinor
• Surf Video (2006) (Italy) (DVD) (French and Italian versions)

Other Companies

• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"Le mépris" - France (original title)

Runtime:

103 min | Finland:97 min | USA:102 min | Italy:82 min (re-edited version) (cut)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | English | German | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Brazil:16 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Isle of Capri, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Les Films Concordia

Trivia:

Jean-Luc Godard had been curious about making a big budget production. This more than satisfied his experience (he hated making the film).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: It is possible that all "mistakes" in the film that involve visible equipment are intentional, or at least intentionally uncorrected: the film, after all, is about the artificiality of making a film, and the initial credit sequence shows filmmakers shooting the film itself.

Quotes:

Paul Javal:I'll tell you the story of Ramakrishna and his disciple. Ramakrishna was a Hindu wise man. And he had a disciple who had absolutely no faith in his teachings. So the disciple went off all by himself. Fifteen years later, he came back and said, "I have found the Way!" He told Ramakrishna...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Monsieur Ibrahim (2003)

Arguably Godard's Best Film, Undoubtedly One of the Best Works in Cinema

Here are what Contempt, by French director Jean-Luc Godard, made in 1963, is about--an examination on a relationship in jeopardy, which has been one of the most universal themes in cinema, and which is probably inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni's trilogy; a struggle in film-making as a side-theme, which may be Godard's self-reflective expression; the international star cast including Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, and Jack Palance, along with the cameo appearance of legendary German filmmaker Fritz Lang; well-choreographed long takes, which are sometimes several minutes in length, and which could be also influenced by Antonioni; inclusion of three montage sequences that comprise sliced flashback and flashforward clips, which create a remarkable contrast to the long takes; beautifully photographed sceneries, especially of the sea; and the memorable orchestral score with sentimental arpeggio by Georges Delerue.

Being both unique and universal, and being perfectly executed, Contempt is arguably Godard's best film, and undoubtedly one of the best works in cinema.