The Soft Skin (film)


La Peau Douce
Directed by François Truffaut
Produced by António da Cunha Telles
François Truffaut
Written by François Truffaut
Jean-Louis Richard
Starring Jean Desailly
Françoise Dorléac
Nelly Benedetti
Daniel Ceccaldi
Music by Georges Delerue
Cinematography Raoul Coutard
Editing by Claudine Bouché
Release date(s) 1964
Running time 113 min
Country France, Portugal
Language French, Portuguese, English

The Soft Skin (French: La Peau Douce) is a 1964 French film directed by François Truffaut. It was entered into the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. [1]

Despite Truffaut's star being on the ascent after Jules and Jim and The 400 Blows, La Peau Douce failed at the box office and was blamed by Jean Desailly as the film that ruined his career.

Contents

Synopsis

The story revolves around Desailly's character, Pierre Lachenay, a successful writer and director of a literary magazine. At the beginning of the movie, he flies to Lisbon to give a conference about "Balzac and money".

Despite being married, he becomes involved with a stewardess and what was a one night stand becomes a long-term relationship. Torn between his wife and child and his younger lover, his life rapidly becomes unbearable. Finally, he takes the decision to leave his wife but she takes revenge by shooting him in a Parisian café.

Analysis

Despite receiving very mixed reviews upon release, La Peau Douce is considered by some Truffaut specialists to be one of his strongest efforts. Strangely, the director's own life followed the same path as the uncertain Lachenay's when Truffaut left his wife for Fanny Ardant. For the expectant audience, it was quite afar from the kinetic joie de vivre of Jules et Jim and possibly perceived as overly serious for a director who had tended towards lighter films up to that point.

Cast

  • Jean Desailly - Pierre Lachenay
  • Françoise Dorléac - Nicole
  • Nelly Benedetti - Franca Lachenay
  • Daniel Ceccaldi - Clément
  • Laurence Badie - Ingrid
  • Sabine Haudepin - Sabine Lachenay
  • Philippe Dumat - Movie theater manager in Reims
  • Dominique Lacarrière - Lachenay's assistant Dominique
  • Paule Emanuele - Odile
  • Jean Lanier - Michel
  • Maurice Garrel - Bontemps
  • Pierre Risch - Chanoine
  • François Truffaut - Gas station attendant (voice)
  • Carnero - Lisbon organizer (uncredited)
  • Georges de Givray - Nicole's father (uncredited)
  • Catherine-Isabelle Duport - Young girl (uncredited)
  • Maximiliènne Harlaut - Mme. Leloix (uncredited)
  • Charles Lavialle - Night watchman at Hôtel Michelet (uncredited)
  • Gérard Poirot - Franck (co-pilot) (uncredited)
  • Olivia Poli - Mme. Bontemps (uncredited)
  • Thérèse Renouard - Cashier (uncredited)
  • Jean-Louis Richard - Man in street (uncredited)
  • Brigitte Zhendre-Laforest - Linen delivery woman (uncredited)

References

External links







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