If you want a pretentious, stilted review that heaves a load of philosophy, mythology, psychoanalysis or any other esoteric junk at you, look elsewhere. I have nothing like that to offer because none of that interests me.
Une histoire sans importance is a lovely, melancholy little half-length film noir about two pubescent boys who share an exploratory sexual encounter that is not shown fully in the movie. One of the boys, Claude, quickly develops purely heterosexual desires and loses all interest in his friend; but the other boy, Philippe, slightly more mature physically and possibly also slightly older, falls head over heels in love with Claude.
The movie stars Philippe Bories and Bernard Flamain as the two boys. I wish I knew which actor played which role, but the movie itself doesn't say and I have been unable to find that information anywhere online, since neither actor ever did much besides this movie. Philippe Bories is credited first, and since the role of Philippe is considerably more prominent (and shares his name) I will assume that he played Philippe and Bernard Flamain played Claude.
Both actors are very, very good, but Bories comes out the winner because his character is more complex and much more appealing. His is the desperate, unrequited love that is scorned and then exploited by Claude. Everything Bories does is completely believable and deeply engaging. His initial aloofness, his growing interest, his tender awakening sensuality, his passion, his obsession and finally his despair all are fully realized and impressive without ever being overdone. I am amazed that he had no career past this movie.
Claude is clearly the bad guy in this movie, and Flamain makes him credible as both an innocent and a hustler, but he is not the least bit attractive as either. His expression is as dead as a zombie's and his smugness over Philippe's devotion to him is repellent. Playing such a kid, innocent one day and corrupt and heartless the next, is quite an accomplishment too.
But Philippe is the heart of this little movie, and what a heart it is: a rich, rounded, painfully sympathetic character who degrades himself for love but clearly has depth and strength of character which Claude lacks. Despite the ending, in which Philippe stares bleakly out the hotel window as he ignores Claude's cruel taunt, "I hope you got your money's worth", there is no doubt in my mind that ten years later Philippe will be infinitely better off than Claude will be.
So although the movie seems to have an almost unbearably sad and cynical ending, I see great hope for Philippe once he gets past this pain, but not for Claude. They are adolescents, no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, and probably even younger. Unreciprocated passion and a broken heart are normal for kids their age, and even healthy; prostitution - especially hustling a friend who you know loves you - is not.
Une histoire sans importance is a lovely, melancholy little half-length film noir about two pubescent boys who share an exploratory sexual encounter that is not shown fully in the movie. One of the boys, Claude, quickly develops purely heterosexual desires and loses all interest in his friend; but the other boy, Philippe, slightly more mature physically and possibly also slightly older, falls head over heels in love with Claude.
The movie stars Philippe Bories and Bernard Flamain as the two boys. I wish I knew which actor played which role, but the movie itself doesn't say and I have been unable to find that information anywhere online, since neither actor ever did much besides this movie. Philippe Bories is credited first, and since the role of Philippe is considerably more prominent (and shares his name) I will assume that he played Philippe and Bernard Flamain played Claude.
Both actors are very, very good, but Bories comes out the winner because his character is more complex and much more appealing. His is the desperate, unrequited love that is scorned and then exploited by Claude. Everything Bories does is completely believable and deeply engaging. His initial aloofness, his growing interest, his tender awakening sensuality, his passion, his obsession and finally his despair all are fully realized and impressive without ever being overdone. I am amazed that he had no career past this movie.
Claude is clearly the bad guy in this movie, and Flamain makes him credible as both an innocent and a hustler, but he is not the least bit attractive as either. His expression is as dead as a zombie's and his smugness over Philippe's devotion to him is repellent. Playing such a kid, innocent one day and corrupt and heartless the next, is quite an accomplishment too.
But Philippe is the heart of this little movie, and what a heart it is: a rich, rounded, painfully sympathetic character who degrades himself for love but clearly has depth and strength of character which Claude lacks. Despite the ending, in which Philippe stares bleakly out the hotel window as he ignores Claude's cruel taunt, "I hope you got your money's worth", there is no doubt in my mind that ten years later Philippe will be infinitely better off than Claude will be.
So although the movie seems to have an almost unbearably sad and cynical ending, I see great hope for Philippe once he gets past this pain, but not for Claude. They are adolescents, no more than fourteen or fifteen years old, and probably even younger. Unreciprocated passion and a broken heart are normal for kids their age, and even healthy; prostitution - especially hustling a friend who you know loves you - is not.