Even when they answer, they don't tell the truth
The French film L'immortelle (1963) was written and directed by Alain Robbe-Grillet. It stars Françoise Brion as L, the Woman. Jacques Doniol-Valcroze portrays N, the Man.
Director Robbe-Grillet wrote the screenplay for Renais' Last Year in Marienbad. If you've seen that movie, you'll remember that it was very quiet and almost dream-like. L'Immortelle makes Last Year in Marienbad look like an action movie.
The plot has an interesting concept--a man and a woman from France meet in Istanbul. He falls in love with her, but we don't know if she falls in love with him.
They wander through Istanbul. At every touristic site, she tells him that none of it is real. The ancient mosque was just built a year earlier, the cemetery was created for tourists, etc.
Then they part, and the plot consists of him looking for her. Many people either don't or won't speak French. Others give him information, but it's always wrong.
Robbe-Grillet shows us many interesting--if ominous--characters, like the man with two savage Dobermans. There's a second and third woman, both of whom know something, but don't share it with the man.
The movie does have its positive aspects--seeing the sights of Istanbul, and watching Françoise Brion appear in glorious Nina Ricci outfits--on a beach, on a boat, at an elegant party. (Director Robbe-Grillet loves to photograph Brion. He particularly likes long, slow scenes where we see her face in closeup.)
If you are a fan of 1960's French cinema, especially.of the Nouveau Roman* style, this is the movie for you. Otherwise, I'd look for another movie by another director.
L'immortelle has a decent 7.2 IMDb rating. I agreed, and rated it 7.
*Truth in reviewing: I hadn't heard about the Nouveau Roman style. It turns out that Robbe-Grillet was an influential author as well as a director. Robbe-Grillet wrote the standard work about Nouveau Roman. It's defined as "a work of art that would be an individual version and vision of things, subordinating plot and character to the details of the world rather than enlisting the world in their service." Now I know.
Director Robbe-Grillet wrote the screenplay for Renais' Last Year in Marienbad. If you've seen that movie, you'll remember that it was very quiet and almost dream-like. L'Immortelle makes Last Year in Marienbad look like an action movie.
The plot has an interesting concept--a man and a woman from France meet in Istanbul. He falls in love with her, but we don't know if she falls in love with him.
They wander through Istanbul. At every touristic site, she tells him that none of it is real. The ancient mosque was just built a year earlier, the cemetery was created for tourists, etc.
Then they part, and the plot consists of him looking for her. Many people either don't or won't speak French. Others give him information, but it's always wrong.
Robbe-Grillet shows us many interesting--if ominous--characters, like the man with two savage Dobermans. There's a second and third woman, both of whom know something, but don't share it with the man.
The movie does have its positive aspects--seeing the sights of Istanbul, and watching Françoise Brion appear in glorious Nina Ricci outfits--on a beach, on a boat, at an elegant party. (Director Robbe-Grillet loves to photograph Brion. He particularly likes long, slow scenes where we see her face in closeup.)
If you are a fan of 1960's French cinema, especially.of the Nouveau Roman* style, this is the movie for you. Otherwise, I'd look for another movie by another director.
L'immortelle has a decent 7.2 IMDb rating. I agreed, and rated it 7.
*Truth in reviewing: I hadn't heard about the Nouveau Roman style. It turns out that Robbe-Grillet was an influential author as well as a director. Robbe-Grillet wrote the standard work about Nouveau Roman. It's defined as "a work of art that would be an individual version and vision of things, subordinating plot and character to the details of the world rather than enlisting the world in their service." Now I know.
- Red-125
- Aug 10, 2022