A Certain Smile movie storyline. In France, following the death of their son in a motorcycle race, the Vallons are plummeted into an unbearable state of sadness from which Madame Vallon never recovers. When the Vallons’ daughter Dominique comes home on holiday from her studies at the Sorbonne, she finds her mother and father still paralyzed by grief.
Upon returning to school, Dominique is warmly greeted by her boyfriend, Bertrand Griot, who takes her to a café to meet his worldly uncle, Luc Ferrand. When Bertrand asks for a ride to his mother’s Sunday night dinner, Luc insists that they first join him and his wife Francoise for drinks. That Sunday, Dominique, nervous about meeting Bertrand’s mother for the first time, develops a terrible headache and Francoise, sensitive to the young girl’s anxieties, comforts her and gives her a beautiful red coat to wear.
Over dinner, Bertrand’s wealthy, overbearing mother refuses to lend her son the money he needs to marry Dominique, and after she sends Bertrand to fetch her a drink, Luc offers to give Dominique a tour of the gardens. There, he passionately kisses Dominique, who falls under his spell. Upon returning to her room, Dominique acts skittish and distant toward Bertrand, and then asks to be left alone. Obsessed with thoughts of Luc, Dominique breaks off her relationship with Bertrand.
Concerned, Francoise visits Dominique to inquire if she quarreled with Bertrand, and when Dominique breaks down in tears, Francoise solicitously invites her to dine with some friends that evening. When Dominique becomes tipsy at dinner, Luc drives her home and then invites her to join him alone on the Riviera for one week that summer while his wife is visiting her mother. In a moral quandary, Dominique seeks out Bertrand and asks him to take care of her.
After Dominique returns home for summer vacation, Luc sends Dominique a letter, telling her where to meet him in the South of France. Trying to protect herself from temptation, Dominique invites Bertrand to visit the Vallon house. When Bertrand arrives, however, his presence reminds Madame Vallon of her late son and she silently sobs and retreats to her bedroom, compelling Bertrand to leave. Furious at her mother’s reaction, Dominique begs Bertrand to elope with her, but he level-headedly insists on waiting to get married and then departs. Alone and spiteful, Dominique goes to meet Luc.
A Certain Smile is a 1958 American drama film directed by Jean Negulesco, based on the book of the same name by Françoise Sagan. Christine Carère was cast in the main role, although she didn’t know any English at the time. She was brought to Hollywood and trained for ten months before filming.
A Certain Smile (1958)
Directed by: Jean Negulesco
Starring: Rossano Brazzi, Joan Fontaine, Bradford Dillman, Christine Carère, Eduard Franz, Katherine Locke, Kathryn Givney, Steven Geray, Muzaffer Tema, Trude Wyler, Sandy Livingston
Screenplay by: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Françoise Sagan
Cinematography by: Milton Krasner
Film Editing by: Louis R. Loeffler
Costume Design by: Mary Wills
Set Decoration by: Paul S. Fox, Walter M. Scott
Art Direction by: John DeCuir, Lyle R. Wheeler
Music by: Alfred Newman
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: July 31, 1958
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