MovieChat Forums > La ronde (1951) Discussion > A pornographic film without any nudity.

A pornographic film without any nudity.

posted 11 years ago by doug7347
4 replies | jump to latest

This film is a sad waste of talent and beauty. The problem lies with Arthur Schnitzler's morally degenerate story (which to be fair to Schnitzler, some say is really about the spread of venereal disease).

The people of Schnitzler's Vienna casually copulate to relieve their boredom, without much in the way of interpersonal involvement, or concern about consequences (there was not much contraception back then, or antibiotics if needed). They use the word "love", but all they ever mean is lust. It's quite difficult to care about any of the characters, though I admit I have a fondness for Danielle Darrieux, and would watch her in almost anything.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

What strange conclusions you've drawn about the film. It was sexually frank but by no means pornographic or morally degenerate.

The distance is nothing. The first step is the hardest.

[–] lubin-freddy 9 years ago

I have trouble taking the OP seriously, though I'm not sure. "Morally degenerate"? Love and passion are at the core of being human.

Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools.

[–] mrbobbyh 9 years ago

I'm inclined to agree with you. Just imagine if the prostitute at the beginning had AIDS. All the characters would have contracted it by the end of the picture. I did like Alfred's speech to Emma about what he read in that book, though.

[–] mikainen 7 years ago

There was no AIDS in 1900 but I see what you mean. Syphilis is bad enough.