Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shamelessly Entertaining Neo-Noir Masterpiece, February 27, 2004
"The Bride Wore Black" is another neo-noir classic from Francois Truffaut. It's adapted from the pulp novel masterpiece by Cornell Woolrich (aka William Irish.) Truffaut retains the story and the sense of doom of the book but pares down Woolrich's convoluted plot so that it is even darker. Jeanne Moreau is scary as the implacable Bride, who tracks down the five men she holds responsible for the death of her husband on their wedding day. (You can see the tremendous influence this film had on Tarantino's Kill Bill, Volume 1). This is an icy examination of the eternal war between men and women; the men are either sexual predators or spinless wimps, and the Bride is remorseless in exterminating them. The film has several setpieces that are obviously tributes to Hitchcock (like the high-rise building; and the wrongfully accused teacher.) There's even a musical score by Hitch's signature composer, Bernard Herrman. Truffaut ratchets up the tension to unbearable levels as we wait to see how the Bride will dispatch her next victim. Truffaut, the great humanist and friend of small children, occasionally peeks out, but mostly this film is a gripping ride on the dark side. It also has one of the gratest final scenes I've encountered in a movie. Just terrific.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tribute to Hitchcock, Louise Brooks and women's legs!, January 8, 2002
Master director Francois Truffaut and legendary actress Jeanne Moreau proves in this film a brunette can be more than a match and just as deadly as the most iciest of Hitchcock blondes, with the great Bernard Hermann delivering a turbulent, impending and breathtakingly haunting score which unfortunately is not out on soundtrack. Truffaut also pays tribute in hairstyle form to Louise Brooks, the 20's actress noted for her distinctive hairdo, which Moreau's character sports. This unforgettably haunting story full of symbolism plays out with the grand sweep and scope of almost Greek tragedy-mythic proportions, starring brunette Moreau as femme fatale extraordinaire Julie Kohler, an emotionally insulated and fascinating woman who descends upon her hapless victims like an exquisite bird of prey in larger-than-life vengeful goddess fashion (which we're not really meant to take all that seriously but is very effective)--she is at once meticulous, deliberate, detached and above all else, mesmerizing with her cold impassive beauty and emotionally/sexually untouchable aura. Her motley prey are a colorful assortment consisting of a wealthy playboy, a romantic loser, a smarmy politician, a mute gangster and a skirt-chasing artist. In highly dramatic and effective use of flashback we learn that Julie turns avenging angel when the love of her life is "assassinated" before her on the steps of a grand cathedral right after their wedding ceremony!--granted it's melodramatic and over-the-top but fits right in with the film's tragic gradeur. Throughout Moreau/Julie is dressed entirely in black and white but wears no other color--appropriate since her character sees the world now only in terms of black and white with no shades of gray, for even when learning these are not "bad" men (except perhaps the gangster) and what occurred was a purely hapless accident, there's no turning back in her unwavering resolve and vow to carry out her revenge.The most fascinating scenes involve artist Fergus (the always excellent Charles Denner) whom Julie leaves cold at first but who soon becomes enthralled by her aloofness and suppressed sexuality, and in turn she shows signs of emotional and sexual awakening with his frank but pleasant personality and under his almost lovemaking/foreplay-like touch and caressess as he poses her--not surprising since obviously no man has gotten close to or touched her since her husband's death years ago, with the strong impression that she may even be a virgin! As the audience we hope Fergus can save Julie from her personal torment so she will find the happiness she so dearly deserves, but unfortunately the tragic past, her haunted memories and steely resolve win out over this new chance at love, life and happiness. Despite the killings she commits with such calculated and efficient dispatch, Julie is a sympathetic character because she's a principled murderess--she's not willing to hurt anyone but her targets or let anybody take the fall for her actions, as the scene dealing with the politician, his son and the son's schoolteacher compellingly displays her humanity. This is a fascinating character study of a troubled and complex female obviously inspired by Hitchcock's earlier "Marnie," but in this case Truffaut goes one step further with his version of an un-savable Marnie. A comment--throughout this film (as well as some of his others) Truffaut reveals what obviously is his leg fetish, as we the audience are subjected to numerous references as well as many voyeuristic and lingering shots of Moreau's legs!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truffaut and Woolrich--quelle combination!, November 15, 2001
Based on the novel of the same name, this film is a razor sharp depiction of one woman's relentless pursuit of her newly wedded and deaded husband's killers. Cornell Woolrich was THE quintessential noir fiction writer, the master of savage irony, and this is, without question, one of the best translations of his work into film.Jeanne Moreau brings out the fanatic dedication of the main character--as schoolteacher, vixen, artist's model--whatever it takes, she will find and destroy the killers. Even in prison, she manages to kill. Her impassive demeanor is a perfect representation of the Woolrich ethos--that life in its unpredictability will change you so dramatically that there is no chance in hell you will ever be the same as you were before. The killers are all regular guys who never suspect a thing--because they're not professional criminals, they have no reason to be looking over their shoulders. The various methods the Moreau character uses to dispatch the men are clever and intriguing. Truffaut's sharp eye for character detail is an exact match with Woolrich's mordant eye for plotting. The two together make for a tough, engaging film that still rings true after more than 30 years.
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