This is an unique work.I do not know another experiment which can be compared to that one.
André Cayatte ,largely underrated and stupidly nicknamed "the lawyer of cinema" by the likes of Truffaut,had invented the concept "the movie in the movie" (les Amants de Verone" ) long before "day for night" .During the fifties he championed any good cause going but some of his works remain very interesting even now ("Avant le Deluge" "Justice est faite")."Vie Conjugale" is the follow-up to "le Glaive et la Balance " as absorbing a thriller as today's works.
"La Vie Conjugale" temporarily gives up the great causes (but only partially as part 2 bears witness)and focuses on a young couple's life.
The first thing to bear is mind is that there are actually TWO movies ,which tell the same story,the first one is the wife's point of view ,the second one the husband's.And the two movies look and do not look like each other.
Marie -José Nat plays a Law student (proof positive that the director does not leave his milieu)who meets a lady killer.They fall in love,sleep and study together.He gets her pregnant:she 'd rather have an abortion -the scene with the doctor is priceless: "the price to pay for the operation is you my dear"- but he decides they'll get married.
Conjugal life begins.This first part,seen through the lady's eyes, is not kind to the hubby:poor Françoise becomes a housewife ,they leave Paris for the Provinces where he becomes a children's judge and she begins to get bored.Back to Paris ,she makes a volte-face claiming that she needs a life (hence a job) and now she's in advertising.Pretty soon her career will be in healthier shape than her lord and master.Parting is near..
(to be continued)
André Cayatte ,largely underrated and stupidly nicknamed "the lawyer of cinema" by the likes of Truffaut,had invented the concept "the movie in the movie" (les Amants de Verone" ) long before "day for night" .During the fifties he championed any good cause going but some of his works remain very interesting even now ("Avant le Deluge" "Justice est faite")."Vie Conjugale" is the follow-up to "le Glaive et la Balance " as absorbing a thriller as today's works.
"La Vie Conjugale" temporarily gives up the great causes (but only partially as part 2 bears witness)and focuses on a young couple's life.
The first thing to bear is mind is that there are actually TWO movies ,which tell the same story,the first one is the wife's point of view ,the second one the husband's.And the two movies look and do not look like each other.
Marie -José Nat plays a Law student (proof positive that the director does not leave his milieu)who meets a lady killer.They fall in love,sleep and study together.He gets her pregnant:she 'd rather have an abortion -the scene with the doctor is priceless: "the price to pay for the operation is you my dear"- but he decides they'll get married.
Conjugal life begins.This first part,seen through the lady's eyes, is not kind to the hubby:poor Françoise becomes a housewife ,they leave Paris for the Provinces where he becomes a children's judge and she begins to get bored.Back to Paris ,she makes a volte-face claiming that she needs a life (hence a job) and now she's in advertising.Pretty soon her career will be in healthier shape than her lord and master.Parting is near..
(to be continued)