La drôlesse (1979)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Jacques Doillon

Writers:

Jacques Doillon (written by)
Denis Ferraris (scenario collaborator)

Release Date:

23 May 1979 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Misfit François kidnaps young Mado and takes her to live with him in the attic of his parents' home. A strange relationship evolves till the police comes upon them.

Plot Keywords:

Child Kidnapping | Girl Man Relationship

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Claude Hébert	...	François
Madeleine Desdevises	...	Mado
Paulette Lahaye	...	La mère de Mado
Juliette Le Cauchoix	...	La mère de François
Fernand Decaean	...	Le beau-père de François
Dominique Besnehard	...	L'instituteur
Odette Maestrini	...	L'epicière
Ginette Mazure	...	La photographe
Denise Garnier	...	La secrétaire de Mairie
Norbert Delozier	...	Le beau-frère de François
Janine Huet	...	La soeur de François
Marie Sanson	...	La vieille dame aux Cailloux
Edouard Besnehard	...	Le boulanger
Henriette Adam	...	Une femme
Jean Brunelière	...	Le juge d'instruction

Also Known As:

The Hussy (USA)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Les Productions de la Guéville

The French "collector"

A strong analogy with William Wyler's masterful "the collector" (1965).But "la drôlesse" is a good movie on its own,probably Jacques Doillon's finest hour.

François,a hung-up young man,locks up Madeleine ,a teenage girl ,in an attic.François is an outcast,unable to integrate well into a society. Here begins a "in Camera" drama ,with a subtle development.Soon ,we do not know anymore who the prisoner is and who the jailer is.An inhibited person,François is completely baffled when Madeleine tells him that she wants to be pregnant by him.As some critics noticed when the movie was released ,the keyword is "games".The two characters seem to play dad and daughter ,dad and mom ,and so on....

Madeleine Desdevises,who was very promising,died from leukemia shortly afterwards.