La peau douce (1964)

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

François Truffaut (screenplay) &
Jean-Louis Richard (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 April 1964 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Pierre Lachenay is a well-known publisher and lecturer, married with Franca and father of Sabine, around 10. He meets an air hostess, Nicole. They start a love affair, which Pierre is hiding, but he cannot stand staying away from her.

Plot Keywords:

Love Affair | Reims | Photo Shop | Motel | 1960s

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jean Desailly	...	Pierre Lachenay
Françoise Dorléac	...	Nicole (as Françoise Dorleac)
Nelly Benedetti	...	Franca Lachenay
Daniel Ceccaldi	...	Clément
Laurence Badie	...	Ingrid
Philippe Dumat	...	Directeur cinéma Reims
Paule Emanuele	...	Odile
Maurice Garrel	...	Bontemps
Sabine Haudepin	...	Sabine Lachenay
Dominique Lacarrière	...	La secrétaire Dominique
Jean Lanier	...	Michel
Pierre Risch	...	Chanoine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
François Truffaut	...	Le pompiste (voice)

Also Known As:

Angústia (Portugal)
The Soft Skin (USA)

Runtime:

113 min | France:119 min (director's cut) | Portugal:110 min (cut version)

Country:

France | Portugal

Language:

French | Portuguese | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Lisbon, Portugal

Company:

Les Films du Carrosse

Trivia:

The man who hassles Nelly Benedetti in the street is the co-writer of the film, Jean-Louis Richard. When they were filming, passers-by came to Benedetti's assistance and had to be fended off.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Pierre is about to slip Nicole's phone number into his wallet, the close-up of the wallet has a different background (desk with white paper) than the previous medium shot.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in La nuit américaine (1973)

Soundtrack:

Symphonie de Jouets (Toy Symphony)

A Tragic Affair

While traveling to Lisbon for a lecture, the famous middle-aged publisher and lecturer Pierre Lachenay (Jean Desailly) has one night stand with the young Panair do Brasil stewardess Nicole (as Françoise Dorleac). They start a love affair traveling to Reims together, and Pierre hides from his unbalanced wife Franca Lachenay (Nelly Benedetti), trying to spare his daughter Sabine Lachenay (Sabine Haudepin) from a separation. However, Pierre gets involved with Nicole, misunderstanding her feelings and expectations, and decides to live with her, leaving Franca, leading the couple to a tragic end.

Many of François Truffault's movies are autobiographic or deals with problems in the communications of love. "La Peu Deuce" is a wonderful romance, with magnificent interpretations and stunning cinematography. In the hands of another director, this movie could be a corny melodramatic story; in the hands of Truffault, this little gem becomes a credible, melancholic and intense love story of a man, probably in a middle-age crisis, and certainly having problems with his about fifteen years of marriage, that does not see the real intentions of his lover, and destroys his family and himself with his attitude. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Um Só Pecado" ("Just One Sin")