Surprising things have happened to Jacques Rivette: La Belle Noiseuse was a hit but the follow-up Jeanne la Pucelle was a failure. His latest is another surprise - a musical that is also a comedy about three young and secretive beauties.
Rivette's universe has often shown the collision of diverse destinies. Ninon (Nathalie Richard) is an errand girl on the lam from her previous life. Whether on scooter or roller skates, she goes fast - petty theft here, a seduction there. Louise (Marianne Denicourt) has just emerged from a long coma: she is on holiday from her past life - but it's just vacation as she is an elegant, upper class girl. Ida (Laurence Cote), an orphan, who has never known her parents is also on a quest: she is the fragile member of the team. Roland (Andre Marcon) ties all these different destinies together: he is the pivot. Roland catches Ninon pinching money from her office, so she sets out to win him over. They enter into a seduction dance and wham - almost an hour into this three hour fantasy, they start singing and dancing for real.
Richard, who actually was a dancer with Karol Armitage's company in a previous career, is an absolute joy. Denicourt is stiffer, more stilted, but her performance suits the part. The action is brilliantly choreographed and the dialogues, written by Rivette's usual accomplices Christine Laurent and Pascal Bonitzer, are just right. Anna Karina makes an appearance as Sarah, who may possibly be Ida's missing mother. Rivette wanted to make a movie like the MGM musicals of the 50s but has come up with something very different and personal.
Joan Dupont (FIPRESCI)
Production companies: Pierre Grise Productions/Carac Films/George Reinhart Production
Producers: Martine Marignac, Maurice Tinchant
Director: Jacques Rivette
Screenplay: Laurence Cotte, Marianne Denicourt, Nathalie Richard, Pascal Bonitzer, Christine Laurent, Jacques Rivette
Photography: Christophe Pollack
Editor: Nicole Lubtchansky
Production designer: Manu de Chauvigny
Costumes: Charlotte David
Sound: Florian Eidenbenz
Cast: Laurence Cote, Marianne Denicourt, Nathalie Richard, Andre Marcon, Anna Karina, Bruno Todeschini
Running time: 169 minutes
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