Swann in Love [Un Amour de Swann] **** (1984, Jeremy Irons, Ornella Muti, Alain Delon, Fanny Ardant, Marie-Christine Barrault, Anne Bennent, Nathalie Juvet) – Classic Movie Review 13,071

Jeremy Irons is elegantly chilly as the Jewish French aristocrat Charles Swann caught in a passion for young courtesan Odette de Crécy (Ornella Muti) in 1880s Paris. Alain Delon impresses in an untypical part as the camp gay dandy Baron de Charlus. 

Director Volker Schlöndorff’s 1984 French/ German period drama film Swann in Love [Un Amour de Swann] is an excellent stab at part of Marcel Proust’s seven-volume novel Remembrance of Things Past, with an ideal Jeremy Irons elegantly chilly as the Jewish French aristocrat Charles Swann caught in a passion for upwardly mobile young courtesan Odette de Crécy (Ornella Muti) in 1880s Paris.

The idly wealthy eligible bachelor Swann has been enjoying an affair with the Duchess de Guermantes (Fanny Ardant) until he transfers his affections to Odette, initially aided by hostess Madame Verdurin (Marie-Christine Barrault).

Alain Delon is interesting, even fascinating, impressing in an untypical character part as the camp gay aristocratic dandy Baron de Charlus, who helps to arrange for Swann and Odette to meet.

Schlöndorff’s film looks an absolute treat thanks to the gorgeous production with beautiful costumes, locations and cinematography by the brilliant Sven Nykvist.

The production and costume Designs were properly honoured at the César Awards. Jacques Saulnier won for Best Production Design and Yvonne Sassinot de Nesle won for Best Costume Design.

The polished screenplay by Peter Brook, Jean-Claude Carrière, Marie-Hélène Estienne and Volker Schlöndorff’ is a surprisingly sleek and successful film adaptation of a self-contained section of the first volume of Marcel Proust’s 1913 novel Swann’s Way. Peter Brook was originally going to make the movie, and the film follows his treatment of Proust’s story.

The cast are Jeremy Irons as Charles Swann, Ornella Muti as Odette de Crécy, Alain Delon as Baron de Charlus, Fanny Ardant as Duchesse de Guermantes, Marie-Christine Barrault as Madame Verdurin, Anne Bennent as Chloé, Nathalie Juvet as Madame Cottard, Philippine Pascal as Madame Gallardon, Charlotte de Turckheim as Madame de Cambremer, Jean-François Balmer as Dr Cottard, Jacques Boudet as Duke de Guermantes, Nicolas Baby as the young Jew, Charlotte Kerr as sous-maîtresse, Catherine Lachens as la tante, Jean-Pierre Coffe as Aimé Jean-Louis Richard as Monsieur Verdurin, Bruno Thost as Saniette, Geoffroy Tory as Forcheville, Roland Topor as Biche, and Vincent Martin as Remi.

Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024).

© Derek Winnert 2024 – Classic Movie Review 13,071

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com6