#328: MALLE, Louis: Murmur Of The Heart (1971)

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3 FILMS BY LOUIS MALLE {Spine #327}

MALLE, Louis (France)
Murmur Of The Heart [1971]
Spine #328
DVD


Louis Malle's critically acclaimed Murmur of the Heart (Le souffle au coeur) gracefully combines elements of comedy, drama, and autobiography in a candid portrait of a precocious adolescent boy's sexual maturation. Both shocking and deeply poignant, this is one of the finest coming-of-age films ever made.

118 minutes
Color
Monaural
in French
1:66:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2006
Director/Writer



Reviewing films in this Collection immediately presents the reviewer with the problem of the historical gaze.

Films from a full century ago are likely to be filled with varying degrees of racism, sexism, homophobia — not to mention a certain naivety when viewed through today’s lenses …

We only have to travel back 50+ years to find a perfect example of this knotty conundrum — the controversial incest scene.

These days the French have been confronting their attitudes about freewheeling sex — particularly where minors are involved. This film might not be as easily received today; although it saw plenty of objections at the time.

Laurent Chevalier (Benoit Ferreux) is a typical middle-upper class young teenager. His mother, Clara Chevalier (Leá Massari) — Italian-born — is a doting, if mostly absent, mother. She smothers her little boy with frequent hugs and kisses.

Dad [Charles Chevalier (Daniel Gélin)] is a gynecologist. Of course.

Father Henri (Michael Lonsdale) is an obvious pedophile. He is barely sketched, but of course Lonsdale is terrific.

Laurent’s brothers — Thomas (Fabien Ferreux) and Marc (Marc Winocourt) — introduce him to all sorts of transgressions.

Corinne Kersten (Daphne) is nicely understated as the love interest; François Werner (Hubert) is wonderfully snobby.

Film Rating (0-60):

55

The Extras

The Booklet

Twenty-page booklet featuring an essay by Michael Sragow.

“In Murmur of the Heart, Malle’s own zest connects with the knockabout wit and curiosity of his adolescent antiheroes. He sketches even the jokey supporting parts with a satiric sort of sympathy — like the youthful snob Hubert, who thinks it’s classy and worldly to defend colonialism. From the fleshy warmth of Ricardo Aronovich’s cinematography to the jazz percolating in Laurent’s brainpan — and, thanks to Malle, in ours — the movie boasts the high spirits to match its high intelligence.”

Commentary

None.

Original theatrical trailer

Cool. Seems to be an effort by Malle to advertise a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Extras Rating (0-40):

34

55 + 34 =

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