Jackstone54

This was Anna Karina's first attempt at writing and directing a movie. It's an admirable, courageous debut. Anna plays Julie Andersen, a free-spirited, hippi-esh girl. Michel Lancelot is the fuddy-duddy professor who bumps into her. They fall in love. Drawn into her world, he falls into drugs. The movie is a bit reminiscent of "A Star is Born" wherein one character descends as the other one ascends. Francois Truffaut reportedly praised this movie,a positive response from one of Anna's dear friends. Anna is enchanting. She also sings on the soundtrack, including tunes by Serge Gainsbourg. Anna later co-wrote the script of "Last Song" with husband No. 4 Dennis Berry. She is set to direct her 2nd movie this year in Montreal. I pray that a DVD version of "Vivre Ensemble" will be released soon.

The movie version of Nabokov's pre-Lolita novel received mixed reviews when it was released in 1969. Among the movie's champions were Penelope Gilliatt of the New Yorker and Joseph Morgenstern, then writing for Newsweek. Richard Burton did not decline the male lead; he was fired at the start of the filming because of drunkeness. While his replacement, Nicol Williamson, was way too young for the part, Williamson gives an uncanny performance. He is matched by Anna Karina, who is excellent as the devious usherette who captivates him. This movie was one of her excursions into English-language cinema. "Laughter in the Dark" illustrates the phrase "Love is blind", both literally and figuratively. This movie should be made available on DVD and video, the better for movie lovers to admire its intelligence ,black humor and fine acting.

Luchino Visconti's sublime adaptation of Camus' "unfilmable" existentialist classic is all but forgotten. It's one of Visconti's best films, a searing, intelligent film. Marcello Mastroianni reportedly stepped into the role of Meurseult, which Visconti had earmarked for his protégé Alain Delon, who would have been too pretty to play the character. Mastroianni gives a masterful performance. As his mistress Maria Cardona, Anna Karina is stunning. She is especially moving in the courtroom scene. Giuseppe Rotunno's cinematography is peerless. Pauline Kael voted this as one of the top three films of 1967, after "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Chimes at Midnight". I hear that the reason why the movie isn't available on DVD or video is because of the rights. Hope this is rectified soon.