La mariée était en noir (1968)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

François Truffaut

Writers:

Cornell Woolrich (novel)
François Truffaut (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

25 June 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

She was a bride when the violence happened... Now she's a widow and it's going to happen again

Plot:

Julie Kohler is prevented from suicide by her mother. She leaves the town. She will track down, charm and kill five men who do not know her...

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Murder Plot | Bow And Arrow | Female Nudity | Tape Recorder

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Jeanne Moreau	...	Julie Kohler
Michel Bouquet	...	Coral
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Corey
Charles Denner	...	Fergus
Claude Rich	...	Bliss
Michael Lonsdale	...	Rene Morane (as Michel Lonsdale)
Daniel Boulanger	...	Delvaux
Alexandra Stewart	...	Mlle Becker
Sylvine Delannoy	...	Mme Morane
Luce Fabiole	...	Julie's mother
Michèle Montfort	...	Fergus's model
Jacqueline Rouillard
Paul Pavel	...	Mechanic
Gilles Quéant	...	Examining judge (as Gilles Queant)
Serge Rousseau	...	David

Also Known As:

The Bride Wore Black (Australia) (UK) (USA)
La sposa in nero (Italy)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:12 (2009) (DVD) | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:16 (nf)

Filming Locations:

Alpes-Maritimes, France

Company:

Les Films du Carrosse

Trivia:

This film is François Truffaut's homage to Alfred Hitchcock, made shortly after Truffaut had published a book of extensive interviews with Hitchcock. As part of his homage, Truffaut chose a novel written by Cornell Woolrich, on who's story Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) was based, and even chose long-time Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann to compose the score.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Julie goes to Fergus's studio the second time to model, he has her wear a special bracelet by Calder. But seconds before, when she is in the bathroom changing, she is clearly already wearing the bracelet.

Quotes:

Julie Kohler: Je suis Julie Kohler!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Day for Night: An Appreciation (2003) (V)

Melancholic

La Mariee Etait En Noir/The Bride Wore Black(1967) is more a study of lost love and revenge than a film of Hitchcockian proportions. Based on the novel by Cornell Woorich, The Bride Wore Black(1967) is a sad story that has an Edgar Allen Poe quality to it. Jeanne Moreau tops her performance from Jules & Jim(1961) with her role as the death obsessed Julie Kohler. Fits in with the two themes of Francois Truffaut in life and death. Films that belong with the theme of life are The 400 Blows(1959), The Wild Child(1969), and Day for Night(1972). The movies that goes with the theme of death are The Bride Wore Black(1967), Jules & Jim(1961) and The Story of Adele H(1975).

The performance of Jeanne Moreau is as heart wretching to watch as the performance given by Isabelle Adjani in The Story of Adele H(1975). The film score by Bernard Herrmann is hauntedly macabre. The scenes depicting Julie planning her revenge are chilling and well planned. The Bride Wore Black(1967) showed the big respect Francois Truffaut had for the techniques of Alfred Hitchcock. Another movie that has its tragic elements is the Terence Fisher film, Frankenstein Created Woman(1966). The only difference between the film and the novel is the omission of the twist ending from the motion picture.