Arguably the best movie dealing with religion since Maurice Cloche's "Monsieur Vincent".Ste Therese de Lisieux is one of the most popular saints of all time.I saw statues of her in Hungarian churches and elsewhere.Alain Cavalier makes his comeback with this work.His best are earlier movies like "le combat de l'île" and "l'insoumis'.But "Therese" does not seem to come from the director of those two former works.Bresson's shadow hangs over all the movie,but ,if Cavalier's work is as austere and stripped of embellishment as "le journal d'un curé de campagne" auteur,he lets some sunshine in these thick walls.These foolish things,that make a life worthwhile turn up at every corner of the screenplay:the lobster -it's the devil !,a little nun says-the nuns dancing and sipping Champagne,the nun's former fiancé who always loves her . More than a linear story,we attend vignettes of everyday life in the cloister.No music at all,which is a very good idea.No sensationalism,no pathos,it's the simple life of humble Therese whose face is beaming all along the movie and whose short life was totally devoted to Jesus,and thus was not that much sad.At 80 or more,some people are still looking for their way.
Catherine Mouchet does not play the part:she is Therese.But this role left its mark so deeply on her career that it was very hard for her to find a follow-up. So far,she did not.
Cavalier made his movie from a completely impartial standpoint.He shows us the dark side of this convent life: -Give her morphin,the doctors says!as Therese develops tuberculosis
-Our saviour didn't have any ,a nun answers.
-But he only suffered for a few hours!
-He's STILL suffering when he sees our poor world.
If you are looking for something different,for something which maybe will make you see the others differently,take a chance on this movie.
NB:After the critically-acclaimed "Thérèse" ,Jean Delannoy tried to jump onto the bandwagon and made a "Bernadette" who got unanimous thumbs down
