Poor Francoise Sagan, her novels sold million copies all over the world, yet her work never translated successfully to the screen. With only one, or two exceptions, her novels were almost always about young women involved with older, and richer men. There are diversions in the form of younger men that serve as a distraction, but ultimately, all the books ended badly. Unhappy conclusions were a must for any of Ms. Sagan's novels.
"La chamade", or "Heartbeat", a 1968 adaptation of her novel of the same title, in the hands of director Alain Cavalier is only a film which showcased the beauty of Catherine Deneuve in all her cinematic glory. It is a film that has little content. It does not involve us the way it should have because the characters that are not real.
We are asked to believe that the stunning Lucille who is Charles' mistress decides to leave him for Antoine, a struggling writer, that cannot give her the luxury which she is accustomed. Charles, on the other hand, while understanding the attraction, would have probably let her enjoy herself on the side, as long as she came back to him. Lucille makes the mistake of leaving one lover for another to horrible results.
Catherine Deneuve is an icy kind of actress. She is one of the most beautiful faces of the French cinema, but as far as projecting any emotions, she always came up short in that department. It must have been hard for directors to cast anyone opposite her because of the coolness she always brought to her roles. Michel Picoli, a great actor has the unfortunate task of playing her older lover, Charles, something that does not happen because there was no chemistry between him and his co-star. Irene Tunk, who was Mrs. Alain Cavalier, a former Miss France, is also a sight for sore eyes, but alas, she has nothing to do in the film. Roger Van Hool, the Belgian actor appears as Antoine.
The copy we saw recently had an amazing quality and it looks as pristine today, as when it was first released. The cinematography of Pierre Lhomme is one of the best things in the film.
"La chamade", or "Heartbeat", a 1968 adaptation of her novel of the same title, in the hands of director Alain Cavalier is only a film which showcased the beauty of Catherine Deneuve in all her cinematic glory. It is a film that has little content. It does not involve us the way it should have because the characters that are not real.
We are asked to believe that the stunning Lucille who is Charles' mistress decides to leave him for Antoine, a struggling writer, that cannot give her the luxury which she is accustomed. Charles, on the other hand, while understanding the attraction, would have probably let her enjoy herself on the side, as long as she came back to him. Lucille makes the mistake of leaving one lover for another to horrible results.
Catherine Deneuve is an icy kind of actress. She is one of the most beautiful faces of the French cinema, but as far as projecting any emotions, she always came up short in that department. It must have been hard for directors to cast anyone opposite her because of the coolness she always brought to her roles. Michel Picoli, a great actor has the unfortunate task of playing her older lover, Charles, something that does not happen because there was no chemistry between him and his co-star. Irene Tunk, who was Mrs. Alain Cavalier, a former Miss France, is also a sight for sore eyes, but alas, she has nothing to do in the film. Roger Van Hool, the Belgian actor appears as Antoine.
The copy we saw recently had an amazing quality and it looks as pristine today, as when it was first released. The cinematography of Pierre Lhomme is one of the best things in the film.