Few of Truffaut's films can be considered lighthearted; misunderstood young heroes à la Antoine Doinel, tragic characters like those of "Le dernier métro" and "La femme d'à côté", without forgetting the disappointed actors-lovers in "La nuit américaine" are some of the personalities around which his films' plots revolve. Yet, in "Une belle fille comme moi", Truffaut presented one of his most witty and intelligent characters, the one and only Camille Bliss.
In her short yet (in) glorious existence, Camille Bliss (Bernadette Lafont) has found herself a presumed murderer, and the lover of such different men as her brutish and childish husband (Philippe Léotard), a suspicious banker (Claude Brasseur), a famous singer (Guy Marchand), and an exterminator (Charles Drenner). Whilst imprisoned for the murder of the latter, she recounts her life, from her troubled childhood up to her incarceration, to a sociologist doing a thesis on criminal women, Stanislas (André Dussolier). During their interviews, she will exhibit not only her vulgarity and irritability, but also an irresistible charm. Poor Stanislas will fall for her, madly, and will try to prove her innocence.
Released the same year as the intellectual "Les Deux anglaises et le Continent", "Une belle fille comme moi" proved to be a pleasant change from the usual complexity of most Truffaut films. In lieu of that, it has something even better; wit. Camille Bliss finds herself entangled in a network of lies, failed relationships and crime,of which she (unsuccessfully) tries to get out through her intelligence and her charming personality. In that, of course, she is helped by the fact that most of her lovers are either too gullible, like the exterminator, or just plainly stupid, like her husband, what with his constant obsession with his superprotective mother. Modern viewers will surely find Camille's confidence and self-assurance more satisfying to watch than the tragic nature of, say, Mathilde in "La femme d'à côté", victim of a passionate love, or Jeanne Moreau's character in"La mariée était en noir", forced to commit murders to vindicate her lover's death.
Bliss is not a completely innocent heroine, though, being the product of a world full of undependable people. The only woman in her environment, she is surrounded by men, none of which knows how to deal with her exuberant character. Only Stanislas will try to understand her, something which will actually turn out to be detrimental to him. For all his good intentions, he continues to be a member of the establishment, and the outcast Bliss will not betray her past of morally dubious actions to settle down with him.
The reason we empathize with Camille is her convincing portrayal by Bernadette Lafont. Intelligent, funny and seductive at the same time, she contrasts perfectly with the reserved Dussolier, and her multifaceted personality is shown with detail through her various testimonies during their interviews. In them, her nature as the outcast stripped of her rights for something she isn't even guilty - according to her - by a society that ignores people like her becomes apparent.
Without forgetting the two opposing main actors, Truffaut assembled an amazing team for the film. Composer Georges Delerue offered an excellent score, which shines for the few moments it is heard playing, while Léotard, Marchand, Brasseur, and Drenner are all great in their roles as Camille's various lovers.
Far from being a masterpiece, "Une belle fille comme moi" is one of an acclaimed director's best works, showing both his ability at choosing a capable cast, and his talent for storytelling. With only a little over six hundred thousand admissions in France during his initial release, it remains one of Truffaut's most underrated works. Unfortunately, the charm of Camille didn't work for everyone. In other words, Camille gave the spectators little Bliss.
