This 1966 film starred Jeanne Moreau as a horribly repressed teacher in a small town where things go horribly wrong. It was directed by Tony Richardson, and co-starred Ettore Manni as Manou, the Italian laborer who attracted our Mademoiselle's interest.
Richardson, though, is the subtle star of this movie. His scenes of Mademoiselle are stellar. Richardson and Moreau reveal Mademoiselle's inner secrets in silent scenes of Mademoiselle walking through the woods or dressing in her room. Not until "The Dresser" do we feel such anger watching an actor silently perform seemingly mundane tasks.
This is a gripping story of a sociopath who must control or destroy. Mademoiselle's march through the movie is like Sherman's march through Georgia: ramrod straight and completely devastating. Richardson did a remarkable job of capturing Moreau's towering performance.
Richardson, though, is the subtle star of this movie. His scenes of Mademoiselle are stellar. Richardson and Moreau reveal Mademoiselle's inner secrets in silent scenes of Mademoiselle walking through the woods or dressing in her room. Not until "The Dresser" do we feel such anger watching an actor silently perform seemingly mundane tasks.
This is a gripping story of a sociopath who must control or destroy. Mademoiselle's march through the movie is like Sherman's march through Georgia: ramrod straight and completely devastating. Richardson did a remarkable job of capturing Moreau's towering performance.