3 reviews
Watching Louis Malle's La Vie Privée was an exercise in patience that finally managed to pay off. It wasn't even the bleak colors (remeniscent of the cheap color prints of the 60's) or the lack of chemistry between Bardot and Mastroianni that pushed the audience to the limit. It was perhaps the stilted dialog, made nearly unbearable by the fact that it was poorly dubbed into English. Maybe the film would have worked better in black and white or as a silent. Maybe not...The films final sequence (stretching over the last seven minutes) redeems nearly all its faults. The carefully composed shots, alternating between the faces of the stars and a play being performed on stage (with a remarkable backdrop of an old Spoletto basilica) empowered by moving music brings us closest to the characters. Once again, the so-called "silent" moment dominates the film, showing us the director's capabilities in full bloom. The tension is enhanced by an increased tempo in editing, leading perfectly to the climax. For what may be a deeply flawed film, I feel bad for the people that left early. Those last seven minutes define great film-making.
The movie has been recentrly restored for a 4k release, and waow! Now it is finally possible to enjoy the movie the way it was intended, and maybe even better than in its original theater form.
Most of the existing reviews emphasize the bad dubbing and the poor quality of the print. I am French so I can fully enjoy the dialogues that do make sense especially when combined with the images in their whole glory with vivid colors.
All Nouvelle Vague classics are getting restored, one after another and pretty much like Pierrot the fool, you have not watched the real movie if it was not from a 4k remaster.
The story about a young girl becoming suddendly so famous that she gets chased by paparazzis until she gets carried away, is very well executed and contrary to what some think, very plausible. It did happen many times even in Europe during the 60's.
Very recommended if you like Nouvelle Vague movies and are a fan a Brigitte Bardot.
Most of the existing reviews emphasize the bad dubbing and the poor quality of the print. I am French so I can fully enjoy the dialogues that do make sense especially when combined with the images in their whole glory with vivid colors.
All Nouvelle Vague classics are getting restored, one after another and pretty much like Pierrot the fool, you have not watched the real movie if it was not from a 4k remaster.
The story about a young girl becoming suddendly so famous that she gets chased by paparazzis until she gets carried away, is very well executed and contrary to what some think, very plausible. It did happen many times even in Europe during the 60's.
Very recommended if you like Nouvelle Vague movies and are a fan a Brigitte Bardot.