À double tour

At a large country house in Aix-en-Provence a tangled relationships melodrama is played out involving the Marcoux family, until a murder is committed. Beginning almost like a sex comedy director Claude Chabrol's 1959 feature film has a rambling soap opera storyline for the first two thirds of it's running time involving a husband (Jacques Dacqmine) who has a lover (Antonella Lualdi), and a wife (Madeleine Robinson) who hates her daughter's boyfriend (Jean-Paul Belmondo), blaming him for her husband's lover. Based on a Stanley Ellin novel (as adapted by Chabrol and Paul Gegauff) Chabrol's first film in colour is a stylised, symbolic psychological drama/thriller which utilises perspective and flashback, and in it's romantic scenes has an almost dream like quality courtesy of Henri Decae's cinematography. Chabrol's 'cultural yeast' is set in his favourite bourgeois milieu and also features Belmondo's bum, Bernadette Lafont, Jeanne Valerie and Andre Jocelyn.

In the countryside of France, the dysfunctional House of Marcoux is in crisis: the patriarch Henri Marcoux (Jacques Dacqmine) has a love affair with the gorgeous red-haired neighbor Léda (Antonella Lualdi), a lonely artist that has just arrived from Japan. However, Henri does not want the divorce, since he is interested in the vineyard, the house and the income that belong to his wife Thérèse Marcoux (Madeleine Robinson) and the children.

Thérèse is a traditional bourgeoisie woman that is worried with the appearance and gossips about her family. Their son Richard Marcoux (André Jocelyn) is a weirdo mama's boy that loves classical music and is attached to his mother. Their daughter Elisabeth (Jeanne Valérie) is dating the reckless gold-digger Laszlo Kovacs (Jean-Paul Belmondo), who has become friend of Henri and does not respect Thérèse. Their maid Julie (Bernadette Lafont) is an easy woman that has sex with the milkman Roger (Mario David). When Léda is found dead in her house, the police inspector investigates the murder and Thérèse and Roger are suspects.

"À Double Tour" is an original dramatic thriller by Claude Chabrol in his third work, about the murder of a woman where several characters may be the killer. The plot is well developed, with a great cast including very beautiful actresses. It is curious to see that "Psycho", that was released one year later, uses mother and son elements of this 1959 film by Claude Chabrol. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Quem Matou Leda?" ("Who Killed Leda?")

Note: On 23 November 2024, I saw this film again.

An advice for those are willing to see this bad picture, firstly you may be drunk, smoked some ma-riju-ana and others stuffs to start and not to suffer in early moments, after all you will need it ahead, mostly by Jean-P. Belmondo's nasty behavior, further all characters are under pressure by unknown disturbing, here also the director is including in the list, scarcely loved, embittered people, after fifteen minutes don't try turn off the DVD player remember yourself how much money you had spent to get it and mainly no refund allowed after to break seal... you must to go ahead, there are an average final that worth to see, you will feel some sort of relief watching it entirely you've stay clear that you are paying sins from your previous life... think about!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2018 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 5

I found this film very accessible. It has become one of my favorites. The film is about an eccentric close-knit dysfunctional family. The characters are quirky, borderline bizzare but real. They are obstinate, boorish, brooding, insulting, conniving and philandering. Their roles are in constant conflict, but the comedy derives from It's smooth ensemble acting and impeccable timing. Some of it's shenanigans are highly cultured slapstick. Their personalities intertwine with French culture in odd ways. Perhaps that was a redundancy. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not going to say any more because I don't want to ruin it for you. You should see it.

Hitchcock once said the idea of an enormous close-up of blood dripping on to a daisy had long appealed to him; an ambition later put into practice with the truly horrible shot of blood landing on a scone at a school picnic.

Although the default setting of continental art cinema of the late fifties was usually black & white, due to their admiration for Hollywood cinema most of the nouvelle vague warmly embraced colour.

Based on story by Stanley Ellen, 'A Double Tour' - like 'Plein Soleil' - capitalised on the sheer incongruity of setting a dark tale of murder, madness and passion in brilliant sunlight.