p41 Madame De
28 February 2013
Max Ophuls’s 1953 off-kilter, money-conscious classic is perfect right up until the last act. His central couple — bored, petty Parisian aristocrats played by Danielle Darrieux and Charles Boyer — are at their most unique when fretting over baubles and lying through their teeth. Ironically, once they start to experience real emotion, they seem ubiquitous and silly. Ophuls creates a beautifully cold bubble. Leave 20 minutes before the end to avoid hearing it go pop.
