Olivia (1951)
Country: FR
Technical: bw 92m
Director: Jacqueline Audry
Cast: Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon, Marie-Claire Olivia, Yvonne de Bray
Synopsis:
An English girl goes to a French finishing school run by an acquaintance of her parents, only to find a febrile environment in which the nurturing fondness of the headmistress for her charges provokes jealous fits in her mistress and business partner, the neurotic Mlle. Cara. To complicate matters further, Olivia falls in love with the headmistress.
Review:
Between Mädchen in Uniform and Innocence came this glorious portrait of a teacher's crush almost reciprocated. The suggestion that Feuillère's nature has led her to court, but never quite yield to, temptation all her professional life was enough to garner the film an 'X' certificate in the UK, even though the closest we come to a frisson is the placing of an impassioned kiss on the neck of one of her students. What is more fascinating is the detailed portrait of the inner life of a boarding school, as in Les Diaboliques, only the other extreme; this one is like a heaven on earth: good food, no apparent money worries, no bitchiness among the pupils, enraptured late-night readings of Andromaque by the fire; just a whirlpool of emotions as everyone competes for the attentions of the godlike Mademoiselle Julie. Feuillère is mesmerising, Olivia excellent as the highly strung heroine; Simon, alas, is merely peevish and annoying.
Country: FR
Technical: bw 92m
Director: Jacqueline Audry
Cast: Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon, Marie-Claire Olivia, Yvonne de Bray
Synopsis:
An English girl goes to a French finishing school run by an acquaintance of her parents, only to find a febrile environment in which the nurturing fondness of the headmistress for her charges provokes jealous fits in her mistress and business partner, the neurotic Mlle. Cara. To complicate matters further, Olivia falls in love with the headmistress.
Review:
Between Mädchen in Uniform and Innocence came this glorious portrait of a teacher's crush almost reciprocated. The suggestion that Feuillère's nature has led her to court, but never quite yield to, temptation all her professional life was enough to garner the film an 'X' certificate in the UK, even though the closest we come to a frisson is the placing of an impassioned kiss on the neck of one of her students. What is more fascinating is the detailed portrait of the inner life of a boarding school, as in Les Diaboliques, only the other extreme; this one is like a heaven on earth: good food, no apparent money worries, no bitchiness among the pupils, enraptured late-night readings of Andromaque by the fire; just a whirlpool of emotions as everyone competes for the attentions of the godlike Mademoiselle Julie. Feuillère is mesmerising, Olivia excellent as the highly strung heroine; Simon, alas, is merely peevish and annoying.
Country: FR
Technical: bw 92m
Director: Jacqueline Audry
Cast: Edwige Feuillère, Simone Simon, Marie-Claire Olivia, Yvonne de Bray
Synopsis:
An English girl goes to a French finishing school run by an acquaintance of her parents, only to find a febrile environment in which the nurturing fondness of the headmistress for her charges provokes jealous fits in her mistress and business partner, the neurotic Mlle. Cara. To complicate matters further, Olivia falls in love with the headmistress.
Review:
Between Mädchen in Uniform and Innocence came this glorious portrait of a teacher's crush almost reciprocated. The suggestion that Feuillère's nature has led her to court, but never quite yield to, temptation all her professional life was enough to garner the film an 'X' certificate in the UK, even though the closest we come to a frisson is the placing of an impassioned kiss on the neck of one of her students. What is more fascinating is the detailed portrait of the inner life of a boarding school, as in Les Diaboliques, only the other extreme; this one is like a heaven on earth: good food, no apparent money worries, no bitchiness among the pupils, enraptured late-night readings of Andromaque by the fire; just a whirlpool of emotions as everyone competes for the attentions of the godlike Mademoiselle Julie. Feuillère is mesmerising, Olivia excellent as the highly strung heroine; Simon, alas, is merely peevish and annoying.