The Story of Adele H. | | Cast : | Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson | | Director : | François Truffaut | | Studio : | Mgm/Ua Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | January 01, 1975 | | DVD Released Date : | September 07, 2004 | | Language : | Unknown (Dubbed), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), French (Original Language), English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 13, 2005 | | Summary | Truly Extraordinary | Content
 | Thirty years later it is hard to imagine "The Story of Adele H" without the then twenty-year old Isabelle Adjani as the title character. But at the time Truffaut's decision to cast the young French theatre star was very risky. Not because there was any doubt about Adjani's acting, but because casting someone who was arguably the most beautiful actress in the world as a character driven mad by unrequited love raised a potential credibility issue. Would viewers believe that the advances of a woman so beautiful, passionate, and intelligent were rejected? And could someone like that illicit sympathy from the average viewer.
But Truffaut knew what he was doing because Adjani's Adele Hugo is 100% convincing. And rather than going for audience sympathy they go for audience frustration as the viewer is increasingly exasperated over Adele's self-destructive behavior. Adjani's breathtaking beauty actually is an asset as Truffaut wants you convinced that the world offers unlimited possibilities for Adele if only she can let go of her obsession. Adjani plays the character with such intensity that you are finally relieved when Adele's madness has reached the stage where she is no longer aware of her suffering.
Apparently Adele had other issues before going on her obsessive quest for love. Her sister drowned a few years before and her parents strongly favored the sister. She has recurrent nightmares about drowning. Marriage and her pursuit of Pinson are her only way to escape from her famous father. Truffaut's stays with blacks, browns, and blues; with much of each frame filled with shadows; not exactly dreary but consistent with a character who has found little non-fantasy happiness during her life.
The camera loves Adjani, a good thing as she is on screen for over 90% of the film. She was the youngest nominee ever for best actress. It was the best performance of the 1970's, probably no one but Adjani could have conveyed the such inner emotional violence. It is that extremely rare visual performance that does not need subtitles or even sound.
As Roger Ebert noted: "Truffaut finds a certain nobility in Adele. He quotes one of the passages in her diaries twice: She writes that she will walk across the ocean to be with her lover. He sees this, not as a declaration of love, but as a statement of a single-mindedness so total that a kind of grandeur creeps into it. Adele was mad, yes, probably - but she lived her life on such a vast and romantic scale that it's just as well Pinson never married her. He would have become a disappointment".
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| Rating | | | Date | March 19, 2005 | | Summary | A great movie - Adjani is fantastic. | Content
| Why doesn't this extraordinary actress get more work? Actually, there aren't many movies made these days that are good enough to accomodate such a powerful talent. Note how lost and out of place she seemed in the (very mediocre) Hollywood remake of 'Les Diaboliques.'
The story of a great love - no less great for its absolute one-sidedness. I was especially impressed with the ending - which explicitly points out that the true focus of Adele's obsession was... something else entirely. Begs the question: is madness really love?
Well worth your time. |
| Rating | | | Date | June 28, 2004 | | Summary | One of the major achievements of Truffaut! | Content
| This is a must in your collection. The charismatic and sideral beauty of Isabelle Adjani enriches itself for her gifted talent as actress .
I don't think in any other actress in that age (with the exception of Shygulla or Jill Claybourgh ) who were capable to win the this defiant performance . This role is hyper difficult and Adjani carries to cosmical levels.
The story turns around the hopeless relation between Adele and a french officer. She leaves everything in France for join him : but the result is useless.
The slow of the progressive madness of Adele is told with such richeness of creative talent , that you wonder why Adjani didn't win the Academy Award with this one.
The picture is perfect in every little detail. A winner and one of the most perfect french films in the seventies. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 24, 2003 | | Summary | A wonderful French movie with a beautiful actress! | Content
| Isabelle Adjani again takes on a role of the rejected lover. This is the true story of Victor Hugo's daughter Adele, who enamoured of a military man, follows him to Halifax and refuses to accept his rejection. She does a fine job of depicting a young lady who has gone off the edge. The story is reminiscent of her portrayal of Camille Claudel, another excellent movie. Isabelle Adjani is beautiful to look at and does a fine job of portraying Adele. I enjoyed this film very much. For those who do not understand French, there are moments when English is used throughout the film. The subtitles do justice to the French. |
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