Max mon amour (1986)

A French wife takes a zoo chimp named Max to be her lover.

Director:

Nagisa Ôshima

Writers:

Nagisa Ôshima (scenario), Jean-Claude Carrière (scenario),

Stars:

Charlotte Rampling, Anthony Higgins, Victoria Abril

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlotte Rampling	...	Margaret Jones
Anthony Higgins	...	Peter Jones
Victoria Abril	...	Maria
Anne-Marie Joubert	...	Suzanne (as Anne-Marie Besse)
Nicole Calfan	...	Hélène
Pierre Étaix	...	Le détective / Detective
Bernard Haller	...	Robert
Sabine Haudepin	...	Françoise, la prostituée
Christopher Hovik	...	Nelson Jones
Fabrice Luchini	...	Nicolas
Diana Quick	...	Camille
Milena Vukotic	...	Margaret's Mother
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu	...	Archibald (as Bernard Pierre Donnadieu)
Thomas Austerweil
Bonnafet Tarbouriech	...	Le vétérinaire (as Pierre Bonnafet)

Storyline

Reserved and cool, Margaret is the French wife of Peter, a British diplomat posted to France with their son Nelson. She takes a lover, a chimpanzee she bought from a zoo and installed in a flat. Peter asks that she bring the chimp, Max, to live with them. He obsesses about Margaret and Max's relationship, hiring a prostitute so he can watch Max perform (Max declines) and peering through the keyhole as Margaret and Max sleep. He tries to kill Max, then finally accepts the ape's presence. When she is called away to her ill mother's bedside, Max stops eating. Worried, Peter takes Max and Nelson to the countryside so Max can be with Margaret; once there, Nature beckons. Is Max lost?

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Plot Keywords:

chimpanzee | diplomat | ape | france | animal love | 

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Taglines:

A Love Triangle of Primate Proportion.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some aberrant sexual content

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

French English

Release Date:

22 October 1986 (France)

Also Known As:

Max My Love

Filming Locations:

Paris Studios Cinéma, Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Serge Silberman, Greenwich Film Productions, Greenwich Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in The Look (2011)

User Reviews

A different Type of discrete Charme

Mainly, this film is about Charlotte Ramplings love for a monkey (a chimpanzee, to be precise), and how her family, especially her husband, deals with it. In fact, upon finding out about his wives affair, Anthony Higgins' character remains surprisingly calm; he even proposes to have the monkey live with them in their house. Maybe he wants to prevent Rampling from leaving him; or he does so since he has an affair himself; or it is his attempt to be "open minded" even in front of an utmost unusual matter. But problems soon up: Not only does the maid (young Victoria Abril!) respond negative to the new guest; the couples friends slowly find up about the hidden secret and try to "help" by drawing in psychologist, zoologists, and so forth. Then, suddenly, Max, the monkey is gone... Sounds weird? It is. All over the film, one is reminded of some of Luis Bunuels work. In one particular scene, Higgins – eager to find if Rampling and Max do indeed share sexual experiences – pays a prostitute to "visit" Max, about which she has no problems (other than Max!). One could read it as a commentary about, once again, the lifestyle of the Bourgeoisie and the boredom that drives them, but in fact all of the characters are likable and there's not hint of criticism on social inequalities. It's filmed in a "children film style" way, yet in its contents designed exclusively for adults. It makes for an enjoyable reception, but once you've seen it, it's not something you want to watch it all too soon, since "Max mon Amour" is basically attractive for the unpredictable unfolding of the story.