#443: OPHULS, Max: La Ronde (1950)

OPHULS, Max (France)
La Ronde [1950]
Spine #443
DVD


Simone Signoret, Anton Walbrook, and Simone Simon lead a roundelay of French stars in Max Ophuls's delightful, acerbic adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's controversial turn-of-the-century play Reigen. Soldiers, maids, poets, prostitutes, aristocrats — all are on equal footing in this multicharacter merry-go-round of love and infidelity, directed with a sweeping gaiety as knowingly frivolous as it is enchanting, and shot with Ophuls's trademark mellifluous cinematography.

93 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
in French
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2008
Director/Writers


Based on the play by Arthur Schnitzler.
Adaptation by Jacques Natanson and Max Ophuls.
Dialogue by Natanson.
Ophuls was 48 when he directed La Ronde.

Other Ophuls films in the Collection:

#444: Le Plaisir (1952)
#445: The Earrings Of Madame De . . . (1953)
#503: Lola Montès (1955)

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Twenty-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Terrence Rafferty.

Commentary

Featuring film scholar Susan White, author of The Cinema of Max Ophuls.

Interview 1

With Ophul’s son, filmmaker Marcel Ophuls.

Interview 2

With actor Gélin.

Interview 3

With film scholar Alan Williams.

Correspondence

Between Sir Laurence Olivier and Heinrich Schnitzler (the playwright’s son), illustrating the controversy surrounding the source play.

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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