Taglines: Suppose I’m a tramp… why can’t I be in love?
La Vérité movie storyline. Dominique Marceau (Brigitte Bardot) is on trial for the murder of Gilbert Tellier. The counsels duel relentlessly, elaborating explanations for why the pretty, idle and fickle girl killed the talented and ambitious conductor freshly graduated from the conservatory. Was it passion, vengeance, desperation, an accident?
The acquaintances of Gilbert testify, as well as Dominique’s former lovers, and her sister, Annie, the studious violin player engaged to Gilbert. The evidence they give progressively paints a more finely-shaded picture of the personalities of Dominique and Gilbert, and of their relationship, than the eloquent and convincing justifications of the counsels.
La Vérité (occasionally released under its English translation The Truth) is a 1960 French film directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, and starring Brigitte Bardot, Charles Vanel, Paul Meurisse, Sami Frey, Marie-José Nat, Jean-Loup Reynold, André Oumansky, Claude Berri, Jacques Perrin, Barbara Sommers and Louis Seigner. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
In the words of The New York Times, “probably no film in recent years – at least in France – has been subjected to so much advance attention. Two years in the planning, six months in the shooting, sets sealed to the press, and all culminating in the suicide attempt of the drama’s star, Brigitte Bardot. The public had been told that Clouzot was turning B. B. into a real actress.” The film was a massive box office hit in France, Bardot’s biggest ever success at the box office, and the third most popular film of the year (after Ben Hur and Le Bossu).
About the Story
Two young lovers, Dominique and Gilbert, are found in the aftermath of an attempted murder-suicide. Gilbert is dead from multiple gunshots, while Dominique is unconscious and near death from gas inhalation. Dominique is revived, arrested, and put on trial for the murder of Gilbert. Her life story and the circumstances leading up to the crime are recounted in detail, leading to a series of flashbacks intercut with the trial.
Dominique is the elder of two sisters, who live in a small provincial town with their parents. The younger sister, Annie, is a studious aspiring violinist, while Dominique avoids work and leads a directionless, leisurely lifestyle. When Annie moves to Paris for music school, Dominique wants to join her, overdosing on pills when their parents refuse. After this, Dominique gets her way and the sisters move in together. Dominique falls in with a group of rebellious young intellectuals, earning herself a reputation for promiscuity. Gilbert, an ambitious young conductor, befriends Annie and visits the apartment, finding a nude Dominique who flirts with him. After this, Annie kicks Dominique out of the apartment.
Gilbert becomes infatuated with Dominique, though they are polar opposites in terms of values and personality. Eventually they begin a turbulent relationship, during which Dominique takes an uncharacteristically long amount of time to consent to Gilbert’s sexual advances, impulsively sleeping around with other men in the meantime. Gilbert is jealous and frustrated, but remains committed to Dominique.
After they finally consummate their relationship, he proposes to her but she refuses. They move in together, but their differing lifestyles lead to further contention, and Dominique cheats on him, after which he beats her. The landlady evicts Dominique from Gilbert’s flat, leading her to take a job at a restaurant to pay her own rent. Gilbert becomes suspicious that Dominique is involved with the restaurant owner, Toussaint. This leads to an emotional breakup, as Dominique insists nothing is going on with Toussaint while Gilbert refuses to believe her.
Dominique sleeps with Toussaint after the breakup, then quits her job and becomes homeless, turning to prostitution. While visiting her hometown for her father’s funeral, she learns that Annie is now engaged to Gilbert. Dominique visits Gilbert, begging him to take her back. He accepts her advances and sleeps with her once more, then coldly turns her away the next morning.
Dominique promptly steps in front of a bus, though she survives with minimal injury and denies that it was a suicide attempt. Later that day, Gilbert hastily finalizes his marriage vows to Annie. Dominique purchases a gun and sneaks back to Gilbert’s apartment, initially claiming she intends to kill herself in front of him. As Gilbert berates and insults her, she turns the gun on him instead, emptying it into him and leaving her without a bullet to commit suicide. After the shooting, she breaks down sobbing then seemingly laughing. Her suicide attempt with the gas line is not shown until its aftermath.
La Vérité (1960)
Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Starring: Brigitte Bardot, Charles Vanel, Paul Meurisse, Sami Frey, Marie-José Nat, Jean-Loup Reynold, André Oumansky, Claude Berri, Jacques Perrin, Barbara Sommers, Louis Seigner
Screenplay by: Henri-Georges Clouzot, Véra Clouzot, Simone Drieu, Jérôme Géronimi, Michèle Perrein, Christiane Rochefort
Production Design by: Jean André
Cinematography by: Armand Thirard
Film Editing by: Albert Jurgenson
Makeup Department: Odette Berroyer
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Kingsley-International Pictures (US)
Release Date: November 2, 1960
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