Les Cousins **** (1959, Gérard Blain, Jean-Claude Brialy, Juliette Mayniel) – Classic Movie Review 3554

Director Claude Chabrol re-unites with Jean-Claude Brialy and Gérard Blain, his stars from the previous year’s Le Beau Serge, for this outstanding 1959 French New Wave drama that won him the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1959.

Chabrol stamps his own directoral trademark on his second film, in which naive young French provincial Charles (Blain) arrives in Paris to share an apartment with his decadent, pleasure-seeking cousin Paul (Brialy) when he comes there to study law. Charles falls in love with Florence (Juliette Mayniel), one of Paul’s acquaintances.

Les Cousins is a compelling look at opposite characters – Brialy’s sophisticated egotist Paul and Blain’s simple, honest, well-meaning countryman Charles – with a touch of offbeat psychology. Paul Gégauff is credited with the dialogue and Chabrol for the scenario, while Paris is sharply filmed in black and white by Henri Decaë.

Note Stéphane Audran as Françoise in the cast that also includes Claude Cerval, Geneviève Cluny, Michèle Méritz, Corrado Guarducci, Paul Bisciglia and Guy Decomble. Audran and Chabrol were married from 1964 to 1980. Chabrol directed her in 24 movies, a TV movie and a TV episode. Chabrol died on 12 September 2010, aged 80.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3554

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