Therese

Georges Franju, one of my favorite French directors, is on top form in THÉRÈSE DESQUEYROUX. The psychological buildup in the quiet, slow script, is deceptively simple, but one sees how both Bernard and Thérèse could rate criminals without really intending to be, and for different reasons at that.

Riva deservedly received awards and considerable commendation for her role as the potential killer who knows her husband is taking excessive arsenic medication but fails to warn him. Noiret delivers an equally persuasive performance as the hubby whose main goal in life appears to be to protect his family name. To that end, he makes sure that the court case does not lead to Thérèse's imprisonmnet so that he can render her a prisoner in her own room for a long period, while allowing her to get out to attend mass in his company, thereby giving local society the impression that all is well in the Desqueyroux mansion and family.

It stands to reason from the comments of locals and of the housemaid that society is not fooled - but Thérèse is forced to live in a puppet play with the strings controlled by her unforgiving husband, who determines even how many cigarettes she is allowed to puff away at daily.

Bernard's character runs deeper than one might infer from a single view of this superior film: he is a stickler for complying with duty, with what he is supposed to show society. To that end, he is just about the sole adult male following the priest in an All Saints Day procession, and he religiously goes to mass every Sunday, with the wife who tried to kill him at his side.

There is a brief moment when Bernard seems ready to forgive her and move on. He even uses "tu" instead of the far more distant and impersonal "vous" to address her. But that is quickly over. In the end , each of them enjoys a measure of happiness: she is able freely to stroll about the streets of Paris, he has his business concerns to focus on, even if he regrets having a daughter and not a son, as the Desqueyroux surname is sure to die out.

The B&W photography warrants special praise, giving you a real feel of sunny and rainy days in the country, and giving the film and especially the central character a palpable claustrophobia that impacts on the atmosphere throughout.

Very good script based on the eponymous novel by François Mauriac.

One of the best adaptations of a novel done by French cinema. A very fine description of a rural based setting, and social relationships and interaction in a context of rural bourgeoisie. Maintains Mauriac's novel finnesse and introspection. A powerful play by the actors, and a very high sensibility in the storyboard. The paradox is that Franju is a surrealist and here it performs a naturalistic view.

Francois Mauriac's novel of 1927 is a scathing indictment of the bougeoisie, especially its obsession with avoiding scandal, keeping up appearances and maintaining the status quo. Therese marries into the Desqueyroux family but in her relationship with husband Bernard from the outset there is evidently something missing. She fulfils her wifely duty by giving birth but this is no consolation and her subsequent actions are both drastic and devastating. Even she cannot explain what brings her to do what she does and in one of her internal monologues refers to 'a deranged power' within her. Her character is one of the most enigmatic in the history of literature and who better to play her than Emmanuelle Riva. This sensitive, intelligent and ethereal actress had entered films with a miniscular role as Jean Gabin's secretary in 'Grande Familles' and within a year took the world by storm in 'Hiroshima, mon Amour' for which she was nominated for a BAFTA. She came full circle half a century later by winning it for her sensational performance in 'Amour'. Bernard, the boorish husband, is played by Philippe Noiret who excels in what might otherwise be an unsympathetic role. An avowed workaholic, Noiret had initially not taken films too seriously but went from strength to strength, picking up a BAFTA and two Cesars during his career. Anne, the sister-in-law on whom Therese has a 'crush' is played by the equally ethereal Edith Scob. The young man with whom Anne falls in love is portrayed by Sami Frey who brings his customary air of mystery to the role. Although the period has been updated, this faithful adaptation by the author himself comes within a productive seven year period for director Georges Franju, during which he made his most satisfying films. He has a highly distinctive visual sense and a subdued directorial style that suits this material perfectly. The power of this film lies in its restraint and its psychological penetration. The subject matter is harsh, austere and uncompromising but the performances, cinematography of Christian Matras and score by Maurice Jarre combine to make it eminently watchable. This is a fine film and arguably Franju's finest. I certainly would not deter anyone from seeing Claude Miller's remake with the excellent Audrey Tatou in the title role but Franju's unique style and its overall atmosphere give the original a definite 'edge'.

After his shorts,Georges Franju made three classics: "La Tête Contre Les Murs" "Les Yeux Sans Visage" and this one.

"Therèse Desqueyroux",based on a celebrated novel by François Mauriac (the writer wrote the screenplay of the film)strongly recalls Franju's first masterpiece "La Tete Contre Les Murs" .Both Thérèse and François rebel against a hypocrite society whose sole concern is to keep up appearances .François is confined to a mental hospital;Thérèse is forced to live in an isolated house ,in the middle of a forest the trees of which are like bars of a cage.Franju's use of the nature,of the trees ,of the leaves ,of the Landais landscape is really breath-taking.

Nobody can understand Thérèse but her cousin's boyfriend (Samy Frey):the long conversation they have in the forest is the only moment in the whole movie when Thérèse COMMUNICATES with another human being.Her cousin,Anne (Edith Scob,Franju's favorite actress) is too superficial ,too conformist (even in her love affair) and finally too preoccupied with her own interests to be someone the heroine could rely on.After the young intellectual has left,Thérèse is definitively alone.

Emmanuelle Riva is one of the ten (maybe five) greatest French actresses of all time.As Roger Boussinot wrote: "Unfortunately for her and her career,she 's that kind of artist who cannot survive mediocre cinematographic ambitions".Her best parts were,besides "Therese Desqueyroux" , "Hiroshima Mon Amour' ,"Kapo" and "Leon Morin Prêtre"and "Thomas l'Imposteur" ,another Franju movie ,actually his last important work .She even transcended Cayatte 's conventional art in "Les Risques Du Métier" .

Philippe Noiret ,playing opposite her,portrays her husband with talent: a man so mean,so spineless ,so sexless he is almost frightening.A bourgeois eunuch.