7.5/10
4,836
41 user 45 critic

Céline et Julie vont en bateau: Phantom Ladies Over Paris (1974)

A mysteriously linked pair of young women find their daily lives preempted by a strange boudoir melodrama that plays itself out in a hallucinatory parallel reality.

Director:

Jacques Rivette

Writers:

Juliet Berto (scenario) (as Berto), Dominique Labourier (scenario) (as Labourier) | 5 more credits »
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1 win. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
Juliet Berto ... Celine
Dominique Labourier ... Julie
Bulle Ogier ... Camille
Marie-France Pisier ... Sophie
Barbet Schroeder ... Olivier
Nathalie Asnar Nathalie Asnar ... Madlyn
Marie-Thérèse Saussure Marie-Thérèse Saussure ... Poupie
Philippe Clévenot Philippe Clévenot ... Guilou
Anne Zamire ... Lil
Jean Douchet Jean Douchet ... M'sieur Dede
Adèle Taffetas Adèle Taffetas ... Alice
Monique Clément Monique Clément ... Myrtille
Jérôme Richard Jérôme Richard ... Julien
Michael Graham ... Boris
Jean-Marie Sénia Jean-Marie Sénia ... Cyrille
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Storyline

A mysteriously linked pair of young women find their daily lives preempted by a strange boudoir melodrama that plays itself out in a hallucinatory parallel reality. Written by David Watson <watson@sgi.com>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis


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Parents Guide:

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider. See more »

Quotes

Julie: It doesn't hurt to fall off the moon.
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Connections

Referenced in La última película (2013) See more »

User Reviews

 
Thoughtful but difficult
21 February 2013 | by cafescottSee all my reviews

I recommend people read "Excruciating" (federovsky, 8/30/12) and "Much Ado About Nothing" (Milan, 4/15/2012) if they want to know what they are in store for. "Celine and Julie Go Boating" is difficult, frustrating and over long. However, it is also the kind of film that after seeing it, you wonder what other people have to say about it.

I didn't enjoy it much. Visually, it is not terribly special. The relationship between the two women and the "haunted house" is what keeps us watching, but the scenes come very slowly.

Several people have said it unfolds like a dream. Others have pointed out the lesbian/feminist side to it. Another possibility is that the two women represent two personalities of a schizophrenic nurse who committed an unspeakable crime. That would explain the repetitive cutting between one woman as the nurse and then her counterpart switching in. The two sides of the same madwoman angle possibly explains why the story includes the woman who is a performance amateur subbing for the experienced magician.

Between "Celine" (Juliet Berto) and "Julie" (Dominique Labourier), I think Labourier is the strongest here. Labourier has a lot of charisma; too bad Rivette has her often just laughing directly into the camera.

The characters in the "haunted house" are interesting. Marie-France Pisier is a favorite of mine, and she is very mysterious here.

If the scenes didn't unfold so sluggishly, and if the narrative were tighter, I think it would have been great. Unfortunately, it is too much work to recommend.


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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 September 1974 (France) See more »

Also Known As:

Céline et Julie vont en bateau See more »

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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,624, 6 May 2012

Gross USA:

$31,452

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$31,452
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Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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