2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tristan and Isolde via Jean Cocteau, November 6, 2005
Although Jean Cocteau didn't direct this movie, he wrote it and much of it bears his mark. It's a retelling in modern terms of the Tristan and Isolde story.
Patrice (played by the great Jean Marais) goes in search for a wife for his uncle and finds Nathalie (Madeline Sologne). They fall in love, a love sealed with a love potion, but she marries his uncle anyway. Soon after they run away together and spend a short but blissful time in a snow-enveloped hut (beautifully and sensually photographed); but the uncle finds them and brings Nathalie home with him. Patrice meets an old friend and his sister, whose name happens to be Nathalie, too. They fall in love and plan to marry, but he can't get Solonge out of his mind. He goes to see her one last time, but is shot; he sends a friend to bring Solonge to him, but is deceived by the second Nathalie so they cannot meet (it involves white and red scarves - similar to Theseus forgetting to change the color of the sails on his ship after slaying the Minotaur).
The movie is faithful to the original and very sensual at times, but the full-fire passion we almost expect from the story doesn't quite make it to the screen. It's a very interesting film to watch, however, mainly because of Cocteau's influence. Solonge is simply beautiful as Nathalie.
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8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mythic Cinema at its Most Memorable, June 18, 2000
This is a film that stays with you, even if you only watch it once. It has the surreal, epic quality of Jean Cocteau's finest works. It weaves a web of enchantment based on a strong, mythic theme and lush cinematography.
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