Les félins

I love Jane Fonda and Alain Delon, and have seen several of their movies, so I just HAD to seek this one out. It was interesting enough, thankfully not too overlong, at just a little over 90 minutes, but dear god, that plot! I really tried to follow it but after awhile just kind of gave up. It's a ridiculous story but still intriguing enough if you like these 60s French gems. Delon's performance isn't great but who cares, he's Alain Delon, just look at his face. And Jane Fonda....oh wow, I believe this was the beginning of her journey into making sultry French films. I love Jane but this isn't her best performance or French movie. Check out "The Game is Over", it's much better than this and Jane sparkles in it. But you should have fun with this one. Now all they need to do is release "Circle of Love", the only one of Jane's French films that isn't available.

I can tell why Delon and Fonda were the wet dreams of the previous generation but nobody ever mention Lola Albright to me. She is exquisite, she exudes an European kind of thing and yet she's totally American. A cross between Doris Day and Ava Gardner. The film is a delight. A sexy thriller soaking in a sticky, tingly atmosphere. I've seen the English and the original French version. Go for the French, the adaptation of the dialogue in English is silly and pretentious. Although I don't like the idea of remakes this is one lends itself beautifully for a juicy rehash. I have a brilliant idea about how to update it, not to mention, how to cast it and as far as a director is concerned, I know the perfect one. I, of course, don't intend to reveal a thing here, you may steal the idea and strike a deal with Miramax.

After seducing the wife of a powerful mobster in New York, the bon- vivant wolf Marc (Alain Delon) travels to the French Riviera. However the mobster orders his gangsters to travel to France and bring Marc's head to him. They kidnap Marc but he succeeds to flee. Without any money, he hides in a mission for poor people. While donating food and supplies to the mission, the wealthy widow Barbara (Lola Albright) and her niece and housemaid Melinda (Jane Fonda) meet Marc and she hires him to be her chauffeur. He moves to a castle-like mansion and believes Barbara has hired him to have sex with her while Melinda falls for him. But Marc decides to investigate the death of Barbara's wife and discloses a hidden secret and that his life is in danger. What will Marc do?

"Les félins" is a suspenseful neo-noir film by the fantastic French director René Clément. The screenplay has many twists and two femme fatale with a great story. The only but is the adorable and irresistible Jane Fonda in the role of Melina. Marc (Alain Delon) is a handsome man but how could he resist to the sexy Melinda (Jane Fonda) in the top of her beauty? Better of a less sexy and beautiful actress in this role. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Jaula Amorosa" ("Love Cage")

Note: On 14 September 2023, I saw this film again.

A story of twists and turns with a sticky sexual link. Jane Fonda and Alain Delon are reason enough to enjoy this French noir but there is more. Lola Albright for instance. Wow! She's a retro futuristic femme fatale. Then Rene Clement, the director of "Purple Noon" knows how to keep us on the edge of our seats without sacrificing that elegant center that makes the whole think work beautifully. "Joy House" was made a few short years after Delon starred in Luchino Visconti's "Rocco And His Brothers" This were Delon's superstar years and he uses the power of his stardom to confuse us and tease us to death. I'm not going to spoil it for you so I don't intend to reveal it but it has one of those endings that's not just fun and clever but totally unexpected. A very enjoyable semi-precious gem.

Les Felins is a very advance for it's time with uniqueness, the modern theme and twisting multi-plots. It's been so very underrated but in a way this protected it from being commercially spoilt, which had kept it's class and intelligence.

The film is a marriage of french elegant dark film and new wave raw but done in a so stylish but not too arty, in a very balance cinematic intrigue and pleasure. With the surprising humours, quirky action and thriller drama between characters.

Almost all the characters have great presence, acting and perfectly cast. Even the mafia gang (like the 60's rat pack) hunting down Marc have such an appeal to suave henchmen.

Example the main ones are Alain Delon as Marc (gigolo, living off women, fugitive from American mafia, while in hiding he is being a seducer chauffeur)- Delon himself cannot be refuted to be perfect epitomize of magnetic don juan. Lola Albright as Barbara (philanthropist, cougar, millionaires, mistress of the estate)- Albright even at middle age can rival hotness in class, elegance and beauty any top vogue models. Jane Fonda as Melinda (charity worker, niece of Barbara, playing the maid, love struck of Marc)- Fonda is such a great pleasing to the eyes of any male seeing her at this age and her very alluring attractive female hotness. Overall the three of them have such appeal of sexiness that it actually transpire into cinematic pleasure, on top of their top acting abilities.

Rene Clements have really captured a great almost perfect flow of how this story evolve. He had few modern for it's time elements (not to mention objects)that created distinct actions, dialogue, close interactions and developments of suspense to antithesis to demise of thriller story.

The critic to this is that you will wish it was also released dubbed in English, the film was in colour and added more scenes.