Martine Carol

In what must be the longest lapse of time between a film and its sequel, 70-year-old Abel Gance continues his nearly legendary, 1927 historical drama Napoleon with this tale of Napoleon’s life after his victories in Italy. The first half of Austerlitz delves into the private life of Napoleon Bonaparte (Pierre Mondy), the prodigal son of Corsica. The supreme commander of the French armed forces goes about his family life and dallies with Josephine (Martine Carol) and mistress Mlle. de Vaudey (Leslie Caron). He occasionally displays bursts of temper that presage some of the macho violence of the battle scenes in the second half of the film, after Napoleon has proclaimed himself Emperor. This sequel shows that Gance has not lost his directorial touch. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie GuideRead More »

Plot
Summer 1953. Determined to go to Liguria with her little daughter Caterina for a short vacation, Anna Maria Mentorsi (who is in fact a prostitute), on the train that leads to the Riviera, is convinced by a nice gentleman (who later turns out to be the mayor of Pontorno) to not get off at Terrazzi, as she was going to do at first, but to stay indeed in the town of Pontorno.
Believed to be a respectable widow, she’s at first accepted by the good society, by the other guests of the Hotel Palace and its beach-goers, but when turns out her job, the void is created around her.
The mayor Silvio tries to help, but has not enough power to counter the hypocrisy and respectability.
The only solution for Anna Maria seems to be linked to the local billionaire Chiastrino, envied and flattered by all.Read More »

IMDB:
Major Thompson, an Englishman living in France, comments in his memoirs on the peculiarities of his French wife and friends.Read More »

Erotic diary of a young bridegroom who, just out of church, swears eternal love to his wife (A. Lualdi), naive, but not too much. Meanwhile, we go through his previous experiences: adulterous wife (D. Darrieux), luxury cocotte (Carol M.), widowed millionaire (E. Feuillère).
Written by Charles Spaak and Jacques Companeez, it is a libel against women in form of hilarious, smiling and amiable comedy, but imbued with poisons. An episodic film cleverly disguised. The underlying cynicism melts in foam of champagne.
(Morandini)Read More »