The Earrings of Madame De...
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Features
• Black & White
• NTSC
In Theaters : 19 July, 1954
Video Release : 15 July, 1994 |
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The Earrings of Madame De... Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥ |
The Circularity of Life
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Max Ophul's The Earrings of Madame De... is an essential film. Filled with Ophul's magical camara work and fine performances all around it is a film to be watched and cherished by all serious film goers.
The film tells the story of a love triangle between Madame de (Danielle Darrieux), her husband (Charles Boyer) and an Itallian diplomat (Vittorio de Sica). On its face its a soap opera plain and simple but if one goes beyond the surface, the film is a play on the upper crust morals of Viennese society. Love is a thing that can be toyed with but never possessed. The earrings of the title enter the story on four occassions: first when they are seemingly unimportant and sold by Madame to pay some debts. They are then sold back to her husband who gives them to his mistress as she leaves for Constantinople. Sold there to once again pay gaming debts they come into the possession of Baron Fabrizio Donati who takes them to France.
The Baron begins a flirtation with Madame which eventually turns to love. He makes a gift of the earrings. The Madame who now cherishes the earrings because of their giver now must face the consequences of her having sold them and lied to her husband. The General demands the Baron take the jewels back and they are once again ought by the General. They make their way to a niece who sells them back to the same merchant. Finally purchased once again by Madame they are left on a church altar as an offering to save the Baron who is now involved in a duel with the General.
The travels of the earrings are used by Ophuls to represent the circularity of life. This favorite device of Ophuls was used in both Lola Montes and La Ronde. This is an excellent film that deserves to be seen. The film for some reason passed into the public domain and there is no American version of a restored print. The version I viewed was by Timeless Media and was truly horrible. The subtitles are often not readable. Much of the film is not translated and the print quality goes from merely bad to truly awful. But unfortunately this is the only version available.
If you want to see one of the greatest films by one of cinema's truly unique directors see this film. I only wish watching it were not so much a chore.
Highly recommended. |
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