Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne Reviews

Originally made in 1945 while the last remnants of the German army were still occupying France, this was Bresson's second feature film and his last using professional actors. It didn't make its way to the States until after the brilliant director gained international prominence. The story is adapted from a sequence in 18th-century encyclopedist Diderot's brilliant novel but is set in more modern times. Casares plays a jilted woman who sets out to destroy the man whose love she can no longer claim. To do so, she sets him up with a former prostitute (Labourdette) without revealing this woman's past. On the day of his wedding to Labourdette Bernard discovers his wife-to-be's past. Although Casares has invited former patrons of the prostitute to the ritual, Bernard lays waste to her plans by accepting Labourdette despite her past. Many of the themes in the original did not make the transition to film, forcing the film to lose potential impact. The performances by both Casares and Labourdette were strikingly captivating and were enough in themselves to carry the film. (In French; English subtitles.)