Woman in Chains (1968)

Stanislas Hassler blazes the development of modern art in his gallery, packed with works of surprising shapes, colours and textures, and where exhibitions turn into media events. Gilbert ... See full summary »

Director:

Henri-Georges Clouzot

Writers:

Henri-Georges Clouzot (scenario, adaptation and dialogue), Monique Lange (scenario collaborator)

Stars:

Laurent Terzieff, Elisabeth Wiener, Bernard Fresson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Laurent Terzieff	...	Stanislas Hassler
Elisabeth Wiener	...	Josée
Bernard Fresson	...	Gilbert Moreau
Dany Carrel	...	Maguy
Michel Etcheverry	...	Le chirurgien
Claude Piéplu	...	Le père de Josée
Noëlle Adam	...	La mère de Josée
Daniel Rivière	...	Maurice
Annie Fargue
Germaine Delbat	...	La gérante
Gilberte Géniat	...	La patronne de l'auberge
Darío Moreno	...	Sala

Storyline

Stanislas Hassler blazes the development of modern art in his gallery, packed with works of surprising shapes, colours and textures, and where exhibitions turn into media events. Gilbert Moreau is one of the artists whose sculptures are on display in the gallery. His wife, Josée, is intrigued by the stern Stanislas, who devotes his free time to photography in an apartment that highlights his sophisticated artistic tastes. But besides enlarged pictures of calligraphic samples, Stanislas is amassing a collection of photographs that reveal a disturbed character. So why would Josée endanger her mature relationship with Gilbert for the morbid observation of Stanislas's hidden personality?

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Plot Keywords:

modern art | artist | sculpture | dream sequence | car hit by a train | 

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Taglines:

From the Master Film Maker Henri-Georges Clouzot!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Henri-Georges Clouzot's final film.

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Connections

Referenced in Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno (2009)

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Soundtracks

Extraits de la 4ème Symphonie (Symphony No. 4)
Music by Gustav Mahler
Conducted by Gilbert Amy
Editions Universal

User Reviews

Who is really in chains?

Clouzot is frequently described as a misanthrope. Woman in chains is a very brilliant exploration of relationships that foreshadows some of the themes in 50 Shades of Gray but is far more erotic without descending. At the centre of the film are three people, Stan a wealthy gallery owner whose relationship with women is very controlling but not very physical. It is therefore perceived by Jose the female lead as being uniquely erotic compared to her relationship with Gilbert. Their relationship is very mature almost "open"..but it is prosaic and therefore the heightened sexuality of her relationship with Stan is extra-ordinarily appealing. However, after Gilbert leaves for Germany in a flunk, Stan and Jose go to the coast and enjoy a night on the rocks with the waves crashing around them and then take a hotel room...after some difficulties, they consummate their relationship, much to the satisfaction of Jose, but when she retrieves a photo of them as a happy couple from a photographer, Stan is incensed and leaves her...she returns to Gilbert but their relationship appears to be finished...and then the whole thing goes haywire.

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

20 November 1968 (France)

Also Known As:

Woman in Chains

Filming Locations:

Lagny-sur-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Corona, Fono Roma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1