zoltanc666

Well, I guess I don't have to repeat how shallow the movie is - others have done that here before. But what really made me angry was the way the script manipulated the poem, especially how it erased the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus and transferred Achilles' erotic/romantic interest to Briseis. What made this manipulation stranger was that actually in the movie Patroclus and Achilles behaved as male lovers would behave - yeah, OK, they were shown to be great friends but there isn't much of a difference between love and a very close friendship, is there? And I don't mean this in a homosexistic way (meaning that close friendship between men isn't possible without being sexual). But that's the way it is in the poem. This heterosexistic manipulation really robbed the movie of being a great chance in erasing 'gay' stereotypes or encouraging gay youth. Anyway, if you want to find out how it really was check out the chapter "Achilles and Patroclus" of Andrew Calimach's great collection of Greek myths (Andrew Calimach: Lovers' Legends. The Gay Greek Myths. Restored and Retold by Andrew Calimach. New Rochelle: Haiduk Press 2002). The book helped me a lot.

One of Ms. Schneider's early works where she was trying to shake off the 'Sissi'-Image. Here we can see her (great as usual) as the somewhat troubled girlfriend of a man probably killed in a car crash as she tries to support his brother finding out what really happened. But strange things begin to happen and she feels like being hunted by a ghost.

The really good cast down to the supporting roles combined with the great and very suspenseful direction, a really good 60s score and the original and atmospheric script make a French thriller (actually, it's a French-Italian co-production) more interesting than lot of its counterparts from Hollywood. OK, the script tries sometimes a little bit too heavy to create a sense of overwhelming doom or anxiety surrounding Ms. Schneider's character (in her presence and in the things happening to her), on the other hand that low-key suspense is what makes the movie so effective. The main part seems to be just written for Ms. Schneider as she as usual does such a splendid job.

Any admirer of Ms. Schneider's talent shouldn't miss this movie. And any admirer of good (60s/70s) thrillers shouldn't miss this rare movie, either! I think it should really get a release on DVD. The score by none other than Claude Bolling would along with the songs be also great to have on CD.

I found it really surprising what is presented as 'romance' here: A dysfunctional marriage/family (just look at the reasons why they married and why they separated) producing Tristan, the 'hero' of the movie. But he isn't a real man to start with. His very, very boyish or childish behavior doesn't stop during the whole of the movie, even after he's gone on his oh-so-important hunting/self-discovery trip. He seems to completely lack maturity and (consequently) the key to manhood. The woman waits for him which makes one wonder if she has got some problems, too. Indeed in the beginning of the movie Tristan's mother gives us some clues, saying that the girl has lost her parents and is 'fragile' (I think that's the word she used). The real tragedy here is that nobody realises what's the problem or tells Tristan to stop and to grow up. The problems arising because of his dysfunctional personality lead to him causing death and disaster and ultimately being isolated and dying alone.

'Pretty Boy' Brad Pitt indeed seems to be the ideal choice for Tristan, since he didn't need to use his limited acting abilities for this part, anyway. I think he suffers from the same problem as the character does. The only good scene he does is when he broods over the girl playing Tennis at the beginning of the movie. The other actors are decent to very good (I especially liked Karina Lombard, a great and underrated actress) but ultimately they are wasted on this movie (as is the good photography and direction and the score). It's surprising that on the one hand the scriptwriters (and/or the writer of the novel) presented the personality problems so well but on the other hand make those persons (especially Tristan) heroes. They obviously didn't know what they were doing.