Customer Reviews

Christine ( L' Amante pura ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2.4 Import - Australia ]

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"I cannot bear stories that have unhappy endings" - Christine to Franz, shortly after their meeting.

CHRISTINE, Pierre Gaspard-Huit's 1958 colour remake of "Liebelei" (1933) is a gorgeously-photographed period showcase for Romy Schneider, and completed a cycle of early costume drama roles for the young star ("Victoria in Dover", "Mädchen in Uniform" and, most famously, the "Sissi" trilogy).

Ms Schneider glows as Christine Weiring (the role that her mother Magda Schneider had played in the 1933 original), a young opera singer in 19th century Vienna, who falls in love with soldier Franz Lobheimer (Alain Delon). Unbeknowst to Christine, Franz has just broken off a messy romantic entanglement with the Baroness Lena von Eggersdorf (Micheline Presle) - the wife of his sponsor. His blooming relationship with Christine is threatened when the Baron learns of his wife's deception and demands satisfaction with Franz.

Capped with a most sensitive pair of performances from it's leads Schneider and Delon, CHRISTINE will be a must-see for admirers of the stars. This was the first time that Schneider and Delon had worked together and sparked their subsequent off-screen romance. Sophie Grimaldi adds a splash of vivacious comedy as Christine's girlfriend Mitzi; and Gaspard-Huit favourite Micheline Presle reeks sophisticated glamour as the Baroness.

The current DVD edition from Universal/StudioCanal (which has so far only been released in Europe and Australia) has a decent print--if a little "waxy" and soft in places--and features the movie in the original French, plus the English dubbed soundtrack.