Diary of a Country Priest [Journal d’un Curé de Campagne] ***** (1951, Claude Laydu, Nicole Ladmiral, Jean Riveyre) – Classic Movie Review 8734

Writer-director Robert Bresson’s austere, hauntingly beautiful 1950 French black and white film Diary of a Country Priest [Journal d’un Curé de Campagne] tells the tale of a lonely young priest, the Curé de Ambricourt (Claude Laydu), who suffers from a mysterious stomach ailment. He tries to help the people of the small town but they do not accept him, and he is unable to lead people into his love of religion. He then rejects his country practice and travels to the city, where he will die.

The lead performance by Laydu is aching in its intensity, a result of a year of preparation that included a placement in a monastery to accustom himself to the priestly dress and gestures.

Bresson translates Georges Bernanos’s novel into a film of sublime beauty, intelligence and austerity. The film and Léonce-Henri Burel’s photography won awards at the 1951 Venice Film Festival: the International Award, the Italian Film Critics Award, the OCIC Award and the award for Best Cinematography.

Also in the cast are Nicole Ladmiral, Jean Riveyre, Armand Guibert, Nicole Maurey, Martine Lemaire, Léon Arnel, Antoine Balpétrè, Jean Danet, Jeanne Etiévant, André Gubert, Bernard Hubrenne, Martial Morange, Gaston Séverin, Gilberte Terbois and Marie-Monique Arkell.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8734

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com