Just plain dreadful...
Really bad....not even the grand Eastmancolor cinematography can save this one.
A waste of all the talents involved, especially Alida Valli and Stephen Boyd.
TERRIBLE!!!!
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MovieChat Forums > Les bijoutiers du clair de lune (1958) Discussion > Just plain dreadful...
Oh, lighten the *beep* up!
shareIn H'wood this would have been a Ross Hunter production Lana Turner melodrama in that era and a great guilty pleasure. This is not cinema with a capital C, just an overheated soap opera that was prevalent in that time. The only "innovation" Vadim brought to film was "coarse language" and T & A. Certainly most shocking for then, but almost innocently tame compared to open mouthed kissing, full frontal and simulated sex we see even on TV nowadays. Still BB & SB for, what in retrospect now seems a lack of true acting talent, are smolderingly sexy.
shareI think the whole point of the movie was to show as much of Brigitte Bardot's body as possible. I think it was soft porn for the time too so I imagine a lot of horny men went to see it more than once especially for the breast exposure scene.
The theme was also very sexual. The uncle was a lecherous sort who took advantage of young girls. His wife was having an affair with a young stud who just returned to town and was being set up by her husband.
The niece who comes to live with them likes to parade around scantily clad. There goes that convent education. She immediately falls in love with the young stud but discovers he's her aunt's lover.
When he flees capture for the murder of his lover's husband she's so eager to jump his bones she runs off with him. Soon they are lovers and don't seem to care where they indulge: a stranger's home, in grotto following a fight...
Thin plot, bad dubbing, and a ridiculous ending all make for a terrible movie.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
Wait, I thought the wife didn't sleep with the stud until after the hubby was killed? The hubby also tried to rape the niece. I didn't feel bad over his murder. Silly me. I felt bad for the wife, she was tricked into sleeping with the stud for her testimony into hubby death.
TinaKimo says > Wait, I thought the wife didn't sleep with the stud until after the hubby was killed?Technically you're right; they hadn't slept together until after her husband's death but that was due to a lack of opportunity and the fact the husband happened to be home. When Lamberto went to Florentine's house that night he expected her husband would be out of town.
The husband already suspected they were cheating. That's why he was trying to have Lamberto set up for some crime. It's also the reason he tried to kill Lamberto.
The hubby also tried to rape the niece.The husband was an all-around creep who preyed on young, innocent, naive girls. It was how he got his wife to marry him. He also seduced Lamberto's sister. When she got wise to him and realized she had been used for sex, she killed herself. As sex starved as Ursula was she probably would have fallen for his advances too - if he wasn't her uncle.
I didn't feel bad over his murder.Clearly his wife didn't care that he was dead and neither would most of the town but he was a prominent man and had connections so his 'murder' would not go unanswered.
I felt bad for the wife, she was tricked into sleeping with the stud for her testimony into hubby death.I don't know what you were watching or why you'd feel sorry for her. She got what she wanted; just not enough of it. She had been in love with Lamberto for a long time and was hoping after their night of 'love', he would be with her forever. Well, surprise, when he said he'd never forget their night together she knew that was it; he was moving on.
He may have thought they were starting an affair but realized she wasn't as desirable now that her husband was out of the picture. He hated the husband and may have wanted to sleep with his wife for that reason. Also, sneaking around was a lot more fun and exciting than being with her day in and day out.
He didn't use her for an alibi, he just wanted her to tell the truth. She knew he was coming there that night to see her. That would have made his case for self-defense. The husband tried to kill him but he killed him accidentally in trying to get away. When she kept silent it appeared he had gone there to kill the husband in retribution for his sister; that's premeditated murder.
Florentine kept quiet because she was upset and wanted to punish Lamberto for not wanting her. Had he said earlier he would stay, she probably would not have cared what people thought of her. However, to be seen as a cheating wife; to have a ruined reputation; to face the town's gossip, taunts, and sneers; to be seen as a fool; and wind up all alone on top of it was way too much.
Lamberto was decent enough not to expose their planned and actual tryst but even if he had named her she would have denied it. It would be his word against hers and, in that situation, he would likely not be the one believed. Ursula knew the truth but she loved her aunt. She liked Lamberto but didn't know him at the time so she also said nothing. His only chance was to escape.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate] share
Thank you for the last response. I don't know why I didn't see it that way in the beginning.