Although written by famous author Colette,"Divine" has to be ranked among Ophuls' weakest efforts ;although Colette depicted a milieu (music -hall) she knew very well,the best is the very beginning of the movie:the contrast between the plow and the brightly shining car ,the word 'business" which the heroine does not understand ;the country is the right place ,the town is evil and if the heroine,unlike so many women in the director's canon ,escapes unharmed,it's because a nice good-looking milkman shows her the way and saves her in the nick of time.
But the essential is the depiction of the life of "artists "in the variety theatre which includes rather daring numbers for the time (topless dancers);a shady wizard (Philippe Heriat,himself a writer too)tries to involve the naive heroine in drug trafficking,but all this is not really convincing.One should also note that the girl (Simone Berriau) is not really "divine" ,her friend being much more attractive .It's finally a disappointment after the brilliant "La Signora Di Tutti" and "Liebelei".
But the essential is the depiction of the life of "artists "in the variety theatre which includes rather daring numbers for the time (topless dancers);a shady wizard (Philippe Heriat,himself a writer too)tries to involve the naive heroine in drug trafficking,but all this is not really convincing.One should also note that the girl (Simone Berriau) is not really "divine" ,her friend being much more attractive .It's finally a disappointment after the brilliant "La Signora Di Tutti" and "Liebelei".