Rent Le Plaisir (1952)
3.8 of 5 from 97 ratings
1h 33min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Adapted from three short stories by Guy de Maupassant, each tells a tale of pleasure. The first tells the story of an old man who regains his youth with the aid of a magic mask, in the second a prostitute has a romantic encounter and the final story concerns two young lovers, an artist and his model. 'Le Plaisir' is a delicate portrait of love and desire.
- Actors:
- Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, Simone Simon, Claude Dauphin, Gaby Morlay, Madeleine Renaud, Ginette Leclerc, Mila Parély, Pierre Brasseur, Jean Servais, Daniel Gélin, Amédée, Paul Azaïs, Antoine Balpêtré, René Blancard, Gaby Bruyère, Mathilde Casadesus, Henri Crémieux, Arthur Devère, Paulette Dubost
- Directors:
- Max Ophüls
- Producers:
- Max Ophüls, M. Kieffer, Édouard Harispuru
- Narrated By:
- Peter Ustinov, Anton Walbrook
- Writers:
- Guy de Maupassant, Jacques Natanson, Max Ophüls
- Others:
- Max Ophüls
- Aka:
- Le plaisir
- Studio:
- Second Sight Films Ltd.
- Genres:
- Classics, Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Collections:
- A History of Films about Film: Part 2, A Brief History of French Poetic Realism, A Brief History of Old Age on Screen: Part 1, A Brief History of the Tradition of Quality, All the Twos: 1902-62, The Instant Expert's Guide to Kenji Mizoguchi, The Instant Expert's Guide to Stanley Kubrick, The Last Laugh: The Film That Changed Cinema
- Countries:
- France
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/10/2017
- Run Time:
- 97 minutes
- Languages:
- French Dolby Digital 1.0
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- B & W
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- A Journey Through Le Plaisir, a 54-minute documentary by Philippe Roger featuring interviews with cast and crew, and a visit of the film's locations fifty years on
- Diary of a Film Shoot, an interview with Ophuls' assistant director, Jean Valerie
- An interview with Marcel Ophuls, the filmmaker son of Max
- Le Plaisir Restored, Ronald Boullet and Andre Labbouz discuss the restoration process
- Theatrical Trailer
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Reviews (2) of Le Plaisir
Magician of mood - Le Plaisir review by AP
I loved this, and the Blu Ray has some interesting 'bonus material' about Ophuls' techniques and character. The film itself consists of three adapted Maupassant stories, the first one very short about youthful spirits resisting, unsuccessfully, encroaching old age. The second one is probably the one the film is most remembered for in its sunlit pastoral world of Suisse Normande in contrast to the friendly but busy and dimly lit urban night world of a brothel, albeit a respectable one. The storytelling is remarkable for the way the prostitutes' lost innocence is so sensitively evoked. The third story, and not the one originally intended by Ophuls owing to production costs, is a smaller cast and more bitter than sweet. Ophuls' achievement seems to me twofold. First, there's his capacity to conjure mood, especially that of the joy of the moment and the ensuing sense of its passing into memory at the same time as looking for the way of making the best of the moments that follow. The second is his camer work, not restless, but almost always moving and this gives the film an energy, sometimes vigorous, sometimes much less so, even gentle, but always engaging. In this film there is also a very engaging narrative voiceover, inviting you to enjoy being entertained.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
Interesting French portmanteau film [b&w, subtitled] - Le Plaisir review by Mr Aquarium
These episodes are set in the late 19th century, from 3 short stories by the great Guy De Maupassant. The central episode, about a group of prostitutes on an overnight visit to a Normandy village is especially delightful. As you would expect from the director [and from Maupassant], conventional expectations about brothels and respectability are quietly but firmly challenged. There's a light but adult touch to it which is very French. [Imagine a British Victorian writing about the same thing ....]
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.