Les Enfants terribles (1952)

Jean-Pierre Melville's second film, made in 1950, became a significant influence among French filmmakers and earned Melville renown as a maverick who could do wonderful things outside his country's studio system. (Melville's independence was a forerunner of that enjoyed later in the decade by New Wave figures such as François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard.) Les Enfants Terribles is based on a 1929 novel by poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, who also wrote the script with Melville and according to some people interfered in everything from the casting (the rather stiff male lead was a Cocteau protege) to the photography. Nevertheless, the story of a sister (an outstanding performance by Nicole Stephane) and brother (Edouard Dhermite) who withdraw into their own, insulated world to play out suggestively erotic dramas, has a fluid, lyrical movement that is part of a visionary whole. In some ways a harbinger of the coming pop narcissism of youth culture, Les Enfants Terribles is also a timeless tale of mythic exploration of existence and purpose. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

an unusual realtionship between two siblings

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Les enfants terribles is about an adolescent brother and his adult sister. When the brother is injured in a schoolyard fight, the sister takes care of him. They live in recluse and have an eccentric relationship. It is based on a story by Jean Cocteau and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville.

I found the film to be odd which is to be expected as this was partially intentional.

The special features are an interview with producer Carole Weisweiller actress Nicole Stéphane, actor Jacques Bernard, and assistant director Jacques Bernard. Also included is "Around Jean Cocteau" a short film about the collaboration of Cocteau and Mellvill, a slide show of production photos, a theacrical trailer and audio commentary by movie critic, Gilbert Adair.

This film is not for everyone but does have some interesting moments. September 19, 2007

How many people can we be at the same time?

1.)This is a terrific film for anyone fond of Cocteau or anyone fond of the screwed-up nature of human beings. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe? might be more human, more passionate and more real, but this film is an appropriately stranger, whimsical tragedy. It's enjoyable, the DVD is very fine. The Orphic Trilogy is Cocteau; it demonstrates his failure as a director and success as an eccentric artist and I enjoy it (them.) Yet only when Melville acts as foil does he become the master by being a servant.

OR

2.) Good... Not too weird, not too normal. Good. A nice pack of adequate French cinema and twisted Cocteau fantasia. Don't we all love the Dargelos persona? Isn't it a nice manipulation of victory over fear by re-designating the symbolism or the perception of symbolism assigned to the people involved in our lives; or relationships. Huh? Yeah. It's pretty good. Thank the Lord it's on DVD in the US. America could use some decency. September 16, 2007

Let's blame Cocteau

This is a film I wish Jean-Pierre Melville never made. It's so removed from his milieu that I can't help being reminded of Alfred Hitchcock's involvement with the romantic comedy, MR AND MRS SMITH. It seems, however, that Melville wanted to do it so he has only himself to blame.

Here we are treated to a couple of overbearing teenagers orphaned early in the story -- apparently without emotional effect. Their story in the first part of the film is mostly confined to their shared bedroom in which torment each other at the top of their lungs. Some people are fascinated by this psychopathology, but it was pure hell for me.

Nicole Stéphane as the sister has been revered for her performance -- yet I found it constantly over-the-top. I tolerated the performance of the actor playing the brother, Edouard Dermithe, better -- while he was roundly jeered by the critics. Because I don't speak French, I am reacting to only part of his performance.

An hour into the movie, and 46 minutes before the end, the film finally opens up and shows some momentum. That's about the time the American appears. He sings a pleasant ballad with a pleasant-enuf voice. Then the film begins to descend again, but it ends before it sinks to previous depths.

Jean Cocteau's source novel is considered a classic. Many people rank this film as a classic. That may be all you need to know about it.

If, like me, you want to see everything Melville did, than you have already decided to see this film. Just be aware that it is nothing like Melville's others ... I'm happy to say.

(To sample Melville, try his masterpieces - Army of Shadows or Le Samourai.) August 26, 2007

Good, but not great, and I don't know why...

"Les Enfants Terrible" is a collaboration between one of France's greatest authors, Jean Cocteau, and one of its greatest directors, Jean-Pierre Mellville. It should be, and according to many, is, a superb, excellent film. But to me there was something... missing. I don't know what.

The plot of the movie centers around a brother and sister who have an unusually close relationship. It's not made clear in the movie if it's an incestual relationship, but the overtones are certainly there (indeed, when they make references to the "games" they play, one can easily substitute the word "sex", and remove all doubt).

Both children, apparently around sixteen, spend a great deal of time isolated in the room they share, and woe betide anyone who invades their sanctum. All is reasonably well until the sister marries a wealthy man, who soon dies, giving her, her brother and their friends a large house to live in.

From a technical standpoint a lot to admire in this film. There's a great deal of poetry in the visuals, some wonderful acting, and some powerful dialogue. But for me, as I said, something was missing. I'm not sure what it was. I SHOULD have liked this movie more than I did. Perhaps on subsequent viewings, I will like it more.

For now, though, it gets three stars. But at least it's a SOLID three stars, and I certainly don't feel as though I wasted my money by buying it. August 25, 2007

at last!

This restoration is awesome. As for the eternal, unresolved debate over whether this is "a Cocteau Film" or "a Melville Film"--I consider it to be Cocteau's masterpiece. That's not easy to say when you consider ORPHEUS and LA BELLE ET LA BETE, is it? Look what we're getting in pristine condition: Cocteau, Stephane, Dermithe AND Bach/Vivaldi...wow August 23, 2007

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