La lectrice (1988)

La lectrice (1988). 1h 39m | R

“The output of director Michel Deville is difficult to categorise, assuming one feels the need to do so. He is nothing if not varied! Between 1985 and 1988 he gave us the erotic thriller u0026#39;Peril en la Demeureu0026#39;, probably his most successful film, followed by the bizarre and surreal u0026#39;Paltoquetu0026#39; which must be accounted a noble failure and finally the delightful u0026#39;La Lectriceu0026#39;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is to my knowledge the only one of Raymond Jeanu0026#39;s novels to be filmed so all credit to Michel and Rosalinde Deville for spotting the potential. It is the type of film generally referred to as being u0026#39;very Frenchu0026#39;. If by that is meant stylish, literate, well-constructed, tastefully erotic and caring more about character than plot then it certainly qualifies!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt is essentially about where reality finishes and fantasy begins as Constance the book lover and Marie the professional book reader, both played by the sensuous and enchanting Miou-Miou, call to mind very strongly William Styronu0026#39;s observation that u0026#39;one lives several lives while reading.u0026#39;u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe rather quirky clients who hire her to read aloud to them prefer subject matter that reflects their lives and predilections. The handsome young man confined by an accident to a wheelchair asks her to read one of Baudelaireu0026#39;s most erotic poems, one of six of his that were banned in 1857. The lonely businessman has a taste for pornography but has to settle for u0026#39;The Loveru0026#39; of Duras although in his case Marieu0026#39;s actions speak louder than words! The generalu0026#39;s widow loves the prose of Karl Marx(!?) whilst the magistrate has a penchant for de Sadeu0026#39;s u0026#39;120 Days of Sodom.u0026#39; The expression on Marieu0026#39;s face when her eyes light upon the extract he has chosen is absolutely priceless.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAs the businessman Patrick Chesnais picked up a César and in the cast are two splendid representatives of the u0026#39;old schoolu0026#39;. Pierre Dux is the magistrate. A luminary of the Comedie Francaise he made his film debut in 1932 . As the widow we have one of Franceu0026#39;s greatest actresses Maria Casares whose first film was a little opus entitled u0026#39;Les Enfants des Paradisu0026#39;!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Production Design and Art Direction are superb and Deville again utilises classical music to great effect. Here it is Beethoven who does the honours.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis piece is really to do with the power of words and how vital they are in both enriching the mind and unlocking the imagination. As such, alas, it is a voice crying in the wilderness to so many of the current generation who spend their waking hours glued to screens.”