La belle noiseuse (1991)

Director:

Jacques Rivette

Writers:

Pascal Bonitzer (scenario) and
Christine Laurent (scenario) ...

Release Date:

4 September 1991 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The former famous painter Frenhofer lives quietly with his wife on his countryside residence in the French Provence...

Plot Keywords:

Art | Artist | Painting | Creative Process | Model

Awards:

5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Michel Piccoli	...	Edouard Frenhofer
Jane Birkin	...	Liz
Emmanuelle Béart	...	Marianne
Marianne Denicourt	...	Julienne
David Bursztein	...	Nicolas
Gilles Arbona	...	Porbus
Marie Belluc	...	Magali
Marie-Claude Roger	...	Françoise
Leïla Remili	...	La servante
Daphne Goodfellow	...	Deux touristes
Susan Robertson	...	Deux touristes
Bernard Dufour	...	La main du peintre

Runtime:

236 min | South Korea:93 min

Country:

France | Switzerland

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:6 | France:U | Australia:M | Finland:S | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:Btl | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Assas, Hérault, France

Company:

Pierre Grise Productions

Trivia:

There was no script per se. The film was shot in sequential order and the day's shooting was dictated by what had been filmed the day before.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Frenhofer's studio, the position of Marianne's legs changes between the long shot (right leg bent and forward) and close shot (left leg bent and forward) when Frenhofer is telling them that they will be unhappy as well.

Movie Connections:

Version of Divertimento (1991)

Soundtrack:

Petrouchka

I guess I enjoy watching paint dry

Until last night, I have shied away from this film due to its daunting 4-hour length. But watching Jacques Rivette's "La Belle Noiseuse" was not nearly as difficult as I feared it might be. In fact, it actually feels liberating to watch a film that doesn't limit itself to a predetermined time constraint. With most films that rely heavily on an advancing plot, any possible lulls may wear on the viewer. "La Belle Noiseuse" boldly eschews the artifice of plot and standard pacing, and deeply focuses on its story of an artist, Frenhofer (played by Michel Piccoli), finding inspiration in a young model (played by Emmanuelle Beart) to paint again after a 10-year hiatus.

The drawing scenes alone really held my interest. Presented with little dialogue, they really made me feel as if I were witnessing art unfold, which is nothing less than exhilarating. It was also fascinating to see this in combination with the subtle development and changes that take place within Beart's character, Marianne, as she transforms from a fidgety, resentful subject to an impassioned muse who sheds away all corporeal pretense and lends her bare soul to the canvas. Giving support to the complex and nuanced performances of the two leads, the waiflike Jane Birkin is also a standout in the role of Liz, the artist's wife, especially in the later scenes in which she expresses conflict with her husband's art.

I am glad that I have finally seen this movie, and I definitely encourage anyone with a curiosity about this movie to see it too. All it requires is four hours of your time and an open mind. "La Belle Noiseuse" is an extremely long film, but never boring. Watching this film is like slowly immersing your body into a hot bath. Your enjoyment of it all depends on how willing you are to adapt yourself to its pacing. But like a hot bath, it takes a little adjustment.