Tragic and incandescent, here are the adjectives that come to my mind when I think of this movie which marked me so much as a teenager: “One Deadly Summer”.
Directed in 1983 by Jean Becker, this film which is based on the novel of Sébastien Japrisot, received four Cesars awards, including those for best screenplay and best actress.
And for good reason, in my opinion: the tragic story that relentlessly unfolds leaves the spectator speechless and Isabelle Adjani – who has the lead role – perfectly embodies this lost woman-child.
Let’s resume.
Eliane, known as “Elle”, a veeeery provocative young woman, settles in a small village in French Provence with a somewhat overwhelmed mother and an adoptive father who no longer takes care of her.
Eliane meets Florimond, the local mechanic, and settles in at his place. After a romance as brief as it is hot, Eliane and Florimond get married.
You might think the situation is idyllic, but it is obviously not: Eliane’s behavior is totally erratic and for good reason: she knows that she is the fruit of a rape and is obsessively looking for her biological father.
This quest, secret and neurotic, will only create chaos.
Eliane is simply incandescent with madness and sexuality. She is a pretty disjointed doll and wanders this world carrying a body she knows to be glorious and a bad temper she knows to be protective. Eliane has locked her neurosis behind multiple armors – even though her best armor is nudity – which she thinks she masters. Unfortunately, it is not the case.
She is buried in her madness and is not part of the world of the living ones.
Her frantic search will ultimately bring her no well-being. Quite the contrary indeed, since this quest will break her and take her and not only her into a hellish darkness.
This leaves much to think about the part of silence, the lack of dialogue, the family karma that can weigh on an education, if you want my opinion.
(NB: I have nothing in common with Eliane’s sexuality and madness. We will just go for a Bardot blouse and shorts for this one).
July 29, 2022
Peter Pilotto top – Versace shorts – Essedue sunglasses – Prada heels
