Belle toujours (2006)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Manoel de Oliveira

Writer:

Manoel de Oliveira (written by)

Release Date:

8 September 2006 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

38 years after the original story, Henri Husson thinks he sees Séverine one night in a concert. He follows her and makes her face her past and with sadism takes a slow and painful revenge on her.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Secret | Concert | Sequel | Hotel

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Michel Piccoli	...	Henri Husson
Bulle Ogier	...	Séverine Serizy
Ricardo Trêpa	...	Barman
Leonor Baldaque	...	Young Prostitute
Júlia Buisel	...	Old Prostitute
Lawrence Foster	...	Himself - Direction musicale

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

Portugal | France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Mexico:B

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Filbox Produções

Trivia:

Director Manoel de Oliveira made this film at the age of 97.

Movie Connections:

Follows Belle de jour (1967)

Soundtrack:

Symphonie n° 8 en sol majeur - Op. 88 (mouvements 3 et 4)

A Modern Masterpiece

I remember reading somewhere that Oliveira's film works as a symbol of the impossible reconciliation between past and present, between cinema (with its passion for manipulation) and reality (with its relentless curiosity for the truth), two dimensions that clash irremediably in modern times.

Personally, I found this to be a excellent comedy, full of delicious winks to symbolic surrealism (the Joan of arc statue, the rooster scene!), a mayor work in Oliveiras impressive catalog and a proper tribute to Buñuel's work. It's a bit sad that it has been terribly underrated by "major" critics around the globe (Cahiers, etc.) *Taken from a comment I made to filmref.com