THE FRENCH HAD A NAME FOR IT / FRENCH FILM NOIR 1946-64
SAT—THU, DEC 13—18, 2014 ▪ ROXIE THEATER
Presented by Mid-Century Productions and I Wake Up Dreaming
SATURDAY MATINEE, DEC 13
(1960) 2:00
UNE MANCHE ET LA BELLE
A KISS FOR A KILLER
(1957) 4:30
SATURDAY EVENING
(1962) 7:00
CHAIR DE POULE
HIGHWAY PICK-UP
(1962) 9:00
SUNDAY, DEC 14
CHAIR DE POULE
HIGHWAY PICK-UP
(1962) 2:00, 7:00
(1960) 4:30, 9:15
MONDAY, DEC 15
CHAIR DE POULE
HIGHWAY PICK-UP
(1962) 7:00
(1960) 9:15
TUESDAY, DEC 16
UN TEMOIN DANS LA VILLE
WITNESS IN THE CITY
(1959) 7:00
J'IRAI CRACHER SUR VOS TOMBES
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVES
(1959) 9:15
WEDNESDAY, DEC 17
UNE MANCHE ET LA BELLE
A KISS FOR A KILLER
(1957) 7:00
UN TEMOIN DANS LA VILLE
WITNESS IN THE CITY
(1959) 9:00
THURSDAY, DEC 18
CHAIR DE POULE
HIGHWAY PICK-UP
(1962) 7:00
J'IRAI CRACHER SUR VOS TOMBES
I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVES
(1959) 9:15
*Note that all films will be shown with English subtitles.
SATURDAY MATINEE, DEC 13, 201
LA VERITÉ / THE TRUTH 2:00
The emergence of Brigitte Bardot signaled a sea change in how sexuality was depicted on screen, and her superstardom provoked a firestorm of controversy and backlash. LA VERITÉ traded on that notoriety and placed itself squarely in the middle of the French culture wars, with Bardot literally and figuratively "on trial" for her lack of decorum. Flashbacks ignite the sordid tale of her character's misplaced loved for a narcissistic composer (Sami Frey) and become the basis of a furious courtroom battle when she is charged with his murder. With Paul Meurisse and Charles Vanel as the bickering barristers. Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot (1960, 122 min.)
UNE MANCHE ET LA BELLE / A KISS FOR A KILLER 4:30
Director Verneuil, a Turkish expatriate best known for his helming of THE SICILIAN CLAN (1969), is in top form here adapting a James Hadley Chase source novel (The Sucker Punch) into a well-modulated Gallic amalgam of SUNSET BOULEVARD and THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. Vidal is the trophy husband of a rich dowager (Isa Miranda) who is slowly seduced into murdering her by his comely, cunning secretary (well-played by Bardot lookalike Mylène Demongeot). With crisp lenswork from esteemed French cinematographer Christian Matras (GRAND ILLUSION, LE RONDE). Dir. Henri Verneuil (1957, 98 min.)
