Puzzle of a Downfall Child

Fashion model Lou Andreas Sand (Faye Dunaway) struggles with work and life. She struggles with relationships, with men, and with sex. She struggles with loneliness and with mental breakdown.

It's all about Faye Dunaway. It's a character study. It's well-made. Faye is bringing the same damage as she will in Chinatown. She's magnetic.

PUZZLE OF A DOWNFALL CHILD is about a famous fashion model who's burnt out on the business and moved to a cottage by the sea to reflect on her splintered life. Years of being treated as an object by photographers, stylists, agents, etc., has left her with a serious identity complex and an addiction to pills...although flashbacks show that she was somewhat unhinged to begin with. The film isn't really that good; as critic Pauline Kael noted when the film came out, "I have a constitutional aversion to movies about women whose souls have been lost, stolen or destroyed, especially when it isn't made clear -- and it never is -- whether the heroine had a soul in the first place." But what IS very special about the movie is simply the way that Dunaway LOOKS. Rigged out in precise red lipstick, false eyelashes and liquid eyeliner, she's meticulously photographed by director Jerry Schatzberg, a former lover and onetime fashion photographer. The story is inspired by the true life life of Anne Saint Marie, a fashion model who later came unglued. Schatzberg taped conversations with Anne Saint Marie and used her comments as a framing device for the story. Not a great film, but an interesting one nevertheless.

Directed by a real fashion photographer Jery Schatzberg to telling the ups and downs of a famous model, it became a hard endurance even to most self-denying cinephiles on so slow pacing and boring offering, it didn't catch the audience at its period of time, even rising movie star Faye Dunaway, when she often raised corpses from the graves over such loveliness, still if the viewer has enough forbearance, he shall be awarded by great and moving outcome.

It's featured as several past recollections of punctual events, whether it's sad or happy on countless flashbacks, conceived as art-movie it has a stellar casting as Roy Scheider, the unforgettable Viveca Lindfors with a strong European accent, Barry Morse and the upcoming star Barbara Carrera in smallest role, it somehow exposes the hard and stiff environment whom the fashion model should be entering in distress soon or later.

Also points out a frailty of human being in in question as the Faye Dunaway magnificent portraits, an insecure girl surround by strongest pressure, love affairs and so for, a non-romanticized lifetime of a model, waiting for the final quarter, it will pleased you plenty, get ready to there!!

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First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.

it saddens me to know that not many people will be able to witness the talent and beauty Faye brings to this tortured character!!! When was this released? 1970, when she was at her height, I am not from this time period, so I was wondering if anyone remembered what the critical reception of the film was? Why wasn't it a success? I was moved incredibly. and there must be some way to buy the movie without just watching it on you tube!!! Stunning Faye. i made so many screen shots!!!

This movie is for anyone that is interested in photography. The still shots themselves are amazing; the cinematography is incredible too. It is simple but raw etc. Faye is just so beautiful in this film and her story of madness is brilliant.

A landmark in independant american filmaking, Puzzle is the best film ever directed by Jerry Schatzberg. Faye dunaway is incredible. One of the best fims of the 70's.