Peau Douce La

Jean Desailly's portrayal of a married, middle-aged bourgeois intellectual is sympathetic and undemonstrative; facial expressions alone conveying all the inherent unce... more >

Jean Desailly's portrayal of a married, middle-aged bourgeois intellectual is sympathetic and undemonstrative; facial expressions alone conveying all the inherent uncertainty of his precarious deception: a romantic interlude with air stewardess Françoise Dorleac.

Filmed in uncluttered monochrome their rendezvous are accompanied by a sensitive musical refrain as airports, lecture halls and Truffaut's own real-life apartment assume a quintessential sixties chic, while scenes in Lisbon and provincial France add naturalism to a flawless narrative design. Unfortunately for Desailly (surprisingly he was not offered any further lead roles) Truffaut also catalogues the frustrations of modern life and here they culminate in tragedy; his expertly accomplished closing scene mirroring a contemporary newspaper report.

DVD extras are generous and fascinating. Included are a Françoise Dorleac featurette – in itself a beguiling artefact – Truffaut's own analysis and a commentary by his co-screenwriter Jean-Louis Richard. Not only do they illuminate the film's narrative method and the influence of Alfred Hitchcock (there are fantastic shots of matchbooks, electric light switches and telephone dials) but they also contribute significantly to the appreciation and enjoyment of possibly the French auteur’s finest work.
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Film Details

Cast

Jean Desailly, Nelly Benedetti

Technical Details