Bonjour Tristesse (1958)

Bonjour Tristesse: Directed by Otto Preminger. With Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Jean Seberg, Mylène Demongeot. Cecile is a decadent young girl who lives the lush life with her rich playboy father Raymond, a widower. When Anne, Raymond’s old love interest, comes to Raymond’s villa for a visit and gets more and more comfortable there, Cecile is afraid that her lifestyle will be altered, and sets out to make sure that it isn’t.

“Reviews of this film are more interesting and thought provoking than most. A number of them convey critical insights that certainly deepened my appreciation. Yes, the film is flawed, but it also resonates beyond standard soap opera mainly because of its tragic central premise. That the movie doesnu0026#39;t fully realize its aim, Iu0026#39;m sorry to say, is largely because of limitations in Sebergu0026#39;s performance. I agree, sheu0026#39;s a lively and compelling screen presence with a freshness thatu0026#39;s genuinely appealing. However, the role of Cecile calls upon more emotional depth than Seberg manages to convey, especially with the absence of troubled emotions. Thus the sense of tragic outcome stems from sources other than Sebergu0026#39;s performance. Now, there are several ways of looking at Cecileu0026#39;s emotional make-up and maturity, but thereu0026#39;s one I believe that most strongly recommends itself and also puts Sebergu0026#39;s performance in the best light.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn this view, Seberg has Cecileu0026#39;s character just right during the sunny Technicolor phase. Cecile is simply too immature to realize the potential consequences of her scheming actions. Thus, Cecile (Seberg) attaches no more gravity to breaking up her fatheru0026#39;s relationship than she does to skipping her studies. Sheu0026#39;s all spoiled selfishness wrapped in a winsome smile. And itu0026#39;s not until the car crash that she realizes the consequences of her selfish act, and experiences an emotional depth for the first time. Her scheme thus results not from making a wrongful choice but from not even realizing that a choice is being made. This view would vindicate nine-tenths of Sebergu0026#39;s unconflicted Technicolor performance, but not the black- and-white phase where Seberg fails to convey the conflict required. This view would also explain the added features of narration, color change and Saul Bass graphics once Preminger realizes that Sebergu0026#39;s performance is not enough to convey the necessary sense of tragedy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDespite this central flaw, the movie remains oddly haunting. Maybe itu0026#39;s because of a sun- washed paradise so carelessly lost, or of a summer of such promise turned into a lifetime of regret. I really like the observation that father and daughter behave as though actions have no consequences. As a result, their humanity is only realized once the importance of this lesson is tragically driven home. Only by then, itu0026#39;s too late. In my view, the movie remains regrettably underrated.”