The Soft Skin (film)
La Peau Douce (The Soft Skin) is a 1964 French film directed by François Truffaut.
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.
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Synopsis
The story revolves around Desailly's character, Pierre Lachenay, a university lecturer who specialises on Balzac who travels to Lisbon for a conference.
Despite being married, he becomes involved with an stewardes 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 - Directeur cinéma Reims
- Dominique Lacarrière - La secrétaire Dominique
- Paule Emanuele - Odile
- Jean Lanier - Michel
- Maurice Garrel - Bontemps
- Pierre Risch - Chanoine
- François Truffaut - Le pompiste (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 - Veilleur 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)
External links
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