The Hussy (1979)
"La drôlesse" (original title)

Misfit François kidnaps young Mado and takes her to live with him in the attic of his parents' home. A strange relationship evolves till the police comes upon them.

Director:

Jacques Doillon

Writers:

Jacques Doillon, Denis Ferraris (scenario collaborator)

Stars:

Claude Hébert, Madeleine Desdevises, Paulette Lahaye

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claude Hébert	...	François
Madeleine Desdevises	...	Mado
Paulette Lahaye	...	La mère de Mado
Juliette Le Cauchoix	...	La mère de François
Fernand Decaean	...	Le beau-père de François
Dominique Besnehard	...	L'instituteur
Odette Maestrini	...	L'epicière
Ginette Mazure	...	La photographe
Denise Garnier	...	La secrétaire de Mairie
Norbert Delozier	...	Le beau-frère de François
Janine Huet	...	La soeur de François
Marie Sanson	...	La vieille dame aux Cailloux
Edouard Besnehard	...	Le boulanger
Henriette Adam	...	Une femme
Jean Brunelière	...	Le juge d'instruction

Storyline

Twenty-something François collects boxes and bottles and resells them to shopkeepers. He lives with his insensitive mother and stepfather. Mado a 11-year old, outsider of her family because of the oddness in expressing her feelings gets kidnapped by François. He takes her to live with him in the attic of his parents' home. Despite the circumstances, an increasingly comforting relationship evolves till the police discovers them. They see the situation under a completely different point of view. Based on a true story.

---

Plot Keywords:

child kidnapping | girl man relationship

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

23 May 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

The Hussy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Productions de la Guéville, Lola Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

User Reviews

The French "collector"

A strong analogy with William Wyler's masterful "the collector" (1965).But "la drôlesse" is a good movie on its own,probably Jacques Doillon's finest hour.

François,a hung-up young man,locks up Madeleine ,a teenage girl ,in an attic.François is an outcast,unable to integrate well into a society. Here begins a "in Camera" drama ,with a subtle development.Soon ,we do not know anymore who the prisoner is and who the jailer is.An inhibited person,François is completely baffled when Madeleine tells him that she wants to be pregnant by him.As some critics noticed when the movie was released ,the keyword is "games".The two characters seem to play dad and daughter ,dad and mom ,and so on....

Madeleine Desdevises,who was very promising,died from leukemia shortly afterwards.