Noces rouges (Les)

English titles: Blood Wedding, Red Wedding, Wedding in Blood
Genre: matrimonial drama
Director: Claude Chabrol
Release: 1970
Studio: Films la Boétie, Canaria Films – Films la Boétie, CIC Productions
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 8.0/10


Let’s Play Adultery!


When political advisor Pierre Maury (Michel Piccoli) is hired by Paul Delamare (Claude Piéplu) to seal his bid for municipal office, he is quick to notice Lucienne Delamare (Stéphane Audran), Paul’s outgoing and sexy wife. For Pierre, who leads a joyless existence with Clothilde (Clothilde Joano), a depressed and sickly woman, Lucienne’s presence is both a blessing and a curse. What doth man do when the weight of duty and the rush of passion tear equally at his heart?

Claude Chabrol, an accomplished French director, makes fine dramas that unfold leisurely enough but never lack substance. LES NOCES ROUGES is a typically serious Chabrol but it also distinguishes itself from most films in this genre with its healthy dose of humour. In Pierre and Lucienne’s case, there is no guilt in hanky-panky… it’s all glee and boisterous fun. You’ll crack up, I’m sure, when you see the shenanigans these two perpetrate in the name of love. And when their affair leads to trouble, as often happens in these matters, Chabrol’s film is no less watchable for it.

Frankly, I couldn’t imagine better casting anywhere for a story such as this. Michel Piccoli, one of the wiliest thespians around, plays Pierre as an outwardly responsible man, all business and decorum, who turns into a lusting animal whenever Lucienne is close and willing. As for Stéphane Audran, she matches Piccoli’s performance with her own brand of spunk; there is one trick she does on him during an outdoor scene that sure looks like a practical joke and, if you catch it, you’ll notice Piccoli twitching with surprise. In a supporting role, Claude Piéplu doesn’t squander his chances either and his biting repartees are also worth a laugh or two. In other respects, LES NOCES ROUGES is a sober and solid production. The story-line, based on real-life events, deliberately leaves a couple of open questions but ends on a stunner, one last statement by Pierre that you will find both puzzling and disarmingly candid.

Let’s settle one more point. Should you see LES NOCES ROUGES, another in a long line of flicks showcasing the joys and perils of adultery? Yes, if you don’t mind me saying so. This excellent French film delivers enough drama, hijinks and mystery to please any movie buff.


MBiS

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