Die Marquise von O… [The Marquise of O] **** (1976, Edith Clever, Bruno Ganz, Edda Seippel) – Classic Movie Review 9466

Eric Rohmer’s witty and affecting adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist’s famous novella Die Marquise von O… [The Marquise of O] is set at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. It focuses on the honourable German Marquise Von O (Edith Clever), who was raped after being drugged by an attacking Russian count (Bruno Ganz), has become pregnant and is forced to fight for her honour.

Excellent performances by by Clever and Ganz capture the tragic conflict between the Marquise’s personal conscience and the restrictive moral codes of society.

This lovely looking, subtly intelligent art film is beautifully controlled by Rohmer and gorgeously photographed in Eastmancolor by Nestor Almendros. Unusually, modern French director Rohmer makes a period piece and films in Germany with a local cast.

Rohmer appears as a Russian soldier.

It won the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1976 (tied with Cría Cuervos (1976).

It won the 1977 BAFTA Film Award for Best Costume Design (Moidele Bickel).

Also in the cast are Volker Frächtel, Peter Lühr, Edda Seippel, Bernard Freyd, Otto Sander, Eduard Linkers, Ruth Drexel, Hesso Huber, Erich Schachinger, Richard Rogner and Tomas Strauss.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9466

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