1953 movieRating: 18/20
Plot: The title Madame decides to sell earrings, a wedding gift from her husband, because she needs to pay off her debt. Her husband buys them back and then they go to Constantinople and then Madame de's boyfriend gets them and then Madame de has them again and then people get jealous and mean. Oh, snap!
This is one of the most beautifully filmed movies I've ever seen and probably the most colorful black and white movie ever made. There's so much to see; from corner to corner, the screen is stuffed with the flowing movement and ornate details. Swirling and mesmerizing, the camera work almost becomes more important than the story or the characters. And it's not all extraneous or Ophuls just showing off. When the husband and lover are sitting down for a conversation, the fencers battling in the background foreshadows their increasingly more volatile conflict. When the camera follows the characters movements, like in the very first scene when our protagonist is trying to decide what to sell to pay off her debt, it gives you a point of view that helps you connect with them. I really like how the background goings-on sometimes become more important than the stuff going on in the foreground, like when a waiter crosses a dance floor and you can see the two lovers dancing alone in the reflection of mirrors. There are numerous great shots where characters will walk behind something so that our view is obstructed and then pop up in an open window or a doorway at precisely the right moment. It's gorgeous stuff, but don't think this is all about the cinematography. The acting is also very good, and the story, with the journey of the title earrings as a hook, is fascinating as a sort of artistic soap opera. I especially liked the husband (Charles Boyer). Some of his expressions are just perfect. I was absorbed, knowing that things wouldn't end well for everybody while enjoying the unfolding. The simple music is also very good, and I loved hearing the main theme played with a Turkish flavor during the scene that took place there. This is just a fantastic movie, one of those that you almost want to watch again instantly, and definitely one of the best I'll see all year.
A Cory recommendation that I probably should have loved much earlier.
That was a really well done review and I agree that this is the most beautiful black and white film I have seen. I saw another Ophuls film recently called "Lola Montes" that is one of the most beautiful color films. Due to a weak title character it is only a good movie.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how "Madame..." went from light to tragedy in little inevitable steps, the tension always increasing. I'm glad you liked it so much. A 17.