Balzac's "Human Comedy" in Jacques Dere Some time after the unconditional success with the action movie "Three must be removed" with the frenzied Alain Delon, Jacques Dere took on a very unexpected project - a television production of one of Balzac's stories, which refers to the "Human Comedy". It's a slow, chamber story. I see it not so much as a costume drama as a psychological quest between a woman and a man.
Diana de Montfrignez meets and quickly falls in love with Daniel d'Artes. Seeking to get it, this lady tells the whole truth about herself. All. He talks about a difficult relationship with his mother. Rivalry with her in the fight for men. He talks about his relationship with men.
After such confessions, her lover simply cannot believe any rumors about her.
But what if Diana’s story was false? What if Diana lied? Then how will the relationship between the heroes develop if she admits to lying?
From this material, one could make a sensual elegy, or one could make a vague description of several conversations. I wonder how Bergman would have done that. But Dera did something completely devoid of grace. For unclear reasons, he abandoned his plans. What to hide, Claudine Auger, who was allocated the main role, an actress of very modest talents. The abundance of middle plans with her monologues did not allow to fully understand her character.
As for the other star of the tape - Marina Vladi, so she was presented with very little screen time. However, there was no special “chemistry” between Oger and Vladi. Like all the characters of this tape, the actors only diligently pronounced their lyrics, tried to look attractive in costumes and were more focused on their characters. As such, a holistic artistic picture did not develop.
In Dere’s career before that, there was a film adaptation of the melodrama based on the work of Sagan (A Little Sun in Cold Water). Also with Claudine Auger in the lead role. All critical reviews for one and the other film are very similar. It seems that drama is not a genre for Dere. However, later he continued to storm the top again, trying to do something more expressive in this genre.
2 out of 10