Le mépris (1963)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writer:

Alberto Moravia (novel)

Release Date:

18 December 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Bardot at her bold, bare and brazen best! Reveling in Rome, cavorting in Capri...jolting even the jaded international jet-set in her pursuit of love! [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

Paul Javal is a writer who is hired to make a script for a new movie about Ulysses more commercial,...

Plot Keywords:

Fritz Lang | Apartment | Marriage | American | Italy

Cast

Brigitte Bardot	...	Camille Javal
Michel Piccoli	...	Paul Javal
Jack Palance	...	Jeremy Prokosch
Giorgia Moll	...	Francesca Vanini
Fritz Lang	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Contempt (USA)
Il disprezzo (Italy)

Runtime:

103 min | Finland:97 min | USA:102 min | Italy:82 min (re-edited version) (cut)

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | English | German | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | West Germany:16 | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Isle of Capri, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Compagnia Cinematografica Champion

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: While the camera pans the crash scene with Camille and Prokosch at the end, the boom operator and crew are reflected on the back of Prokosch's car.

Quotes:

Camille Javal: I like you better without the hat and cigar.
Paul Javal: I'm just imitating Dean Martin in "Some Came Running."
Camille Javal: Very funny. You don't remind me of Dean Martin, but of Martin and the ass. Don't you know the story about Martin and the ass?
Paul Javal: No.
Camille Javal: One day Martin went to Baghdad to buy himself a flying carpet. And a merchant sold him a very pretty one. Martin sat down on the carpet, but it didn't fly. "Well," said the merchant, "that's not surprising." Are you listening to me?
Paul Javal: Yes.
Camille Javal: "That's not surprising. The carpet will never fly if you think of an ass." "All right," Martin said, "I just won't think of an ass." But then he couldn't stop thinking of an ass! And the carpet wouldn't fly.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'écriture à l'écran (2004) (V)

The Tragic End of a Relationship

In Italy, the writer Paul Javal (Michel Piccoli) is hired for US$ 10,000.00 by the arrogant American producer Jeremy Prokosch (Jack Palance) to rewrite the screenplay of a commercial version of Ulysses and his Odyssey to be directed by Fritz Lang. Paul intends to use the money to quit the payments of the modern apartment where he lives with his wife and former typist Camille Javal (Brigitte Bardot). When Jeremy invites Camille and Paul to have a drink with him in his cottage, Paul asks Camille to go alone with Jeremy in his red Alfa Romeo, while he would go by taxi. He arrives later and finds Camille upset; his ambitious act destroys their marriage.

"Le Mépris" is the story of the end of a relationship through the amoral act of a husband leaving his gorgeous and sexy wife with his boss probably to take advantages in the contract. There is an indication in the previous night that their marriage had troubles since Camille questions her husband in bed whether she is still beautiful and attractive. There are nice moments in the story like the nudity of Brigitte Bardot; the cameo participation of Fritz Lang playing himself; and the posters of many classics or Roberto Rossellini's "Viaggio in Italia" in the movie theater. There is an analogy between Ulysses and Penelope and Paul and Camille along the plot. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Desprezo" ("The Scorn")