Therese and Isabelle (1968)

Two young girls experience awakening sexuality in the heated atmosphere of a Swiss girls' boarding school...

Director:

Radley Metzger

Writers:

Violette Leduc (novel), Jesse Vogel

Stars:

Essy Persson, Anna Gaël, Barbara Laage

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Essy Persson	...	Thérèse
Anna Gaël	...	Isabelle (as Anna Gael)
Barbara Laage	...	Thérèse adulte
Anne Vernon	...	Mlle. Le Blanc
Simone Paris	...	The Madame
Maurice Teynac	...	Mons. Martin
Rémy Longa	...	Pierre
Nathalie Nort	...	Renee
Darcy Pulliam	...	Agnès
Suzanne Marchellier	...	Mlle. Germain
Bernadette Stern	...	Françoise
Sege Geeraert
Martine Leclerc	...	Martine
Édith Ploquin
Alexandra Kabes

Storyline

A older woman visits the boarding school of her youth after a 20 year absense. While strolling about the deserted grounds and classrooms she remembers her highly emotional experiences there, and well-executed flashbacks occur to her youth. At 17 she is abandoned by her loving mother because of remarriage and left at a European boarding school, disenchanted and lonely. Immediately she meets Isabell, an older, confident, rebellious girl. The two develop a friendship quickly without much conversation or bonding, but have the always temporary chemistry necessary for their friendship to progress into a sexual relationship. The sex scenes are slow and sensual -as they should be for two young girls experiencing lesbianism for the first time. Despite their undying love confessions to each other, Theresa wakes up one morning to find Isabell has left the school, her room and desk replaced with another student. She never see's Isabell again.

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Plot Keywords:

boarding school | sex | love | lesbianism | nudity | 

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Taglines:

... A love story

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France USA Netherlands

Language:

French English

Release Date:

18 June 1969 (France)

Also Known As:

Teresa e Isabel

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amsterdam Film, Audubon Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Star Essy Persson appeared live at New York's Trans-Lux 85th St. theater on the film's opening night.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Therese: I never saw Isabelle again.

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Connections

Referenced in American Grindhouse (2010)

User Reviews

Another French flick

I'm not sure how related they are, but I'm almost certain that Lost and Delirious is a remake of this movie (or the story that it's based on). Very similar plotline, and even some of the scenes and sets seem to be very, very similar. Lost & Delirious is actually a much better movie, so see that one instead.

This one moves very slowly, but being a late 60s French movie, that is to be expected of the style. Told in a retrospect from the perspective of one of the girls revisiting the school. The editing of the flashbacks with the current scenes is a little bit confusing at first, particularly since the audio from each overlaps (ie, hearing flashbacks while seeing the present and vice versa). Also, the "girls" are a bit old to think that they are in a boarding school. Finally, not much character development to even get you attached to the movie.