The Earrings of Madame De... [Criterion Collection]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Max Ophuls' masterpiece stars Danielle Darrieux as the titular Madame Louise de..., who in the film's opening scenes is forced to discreetly sell a pair of earrings, a gift from her military officer husband Andre (Charles Boyer), in order to make good on her debts. After she claims the earrings to be lost, the story of their possible theft hits the newspapers, prompting the jeweler who bought them (Jean Debucourt) to secretly sell them back to Andre, who then gives him to his mistress Lola (Lia Di Leo) as she prepares to leave for a holiday in Constantinople. There, the earrings again change hands as Lola pawns them to cover her gambling losses. They are then purchased by Donati, an Italian diplomat (Vittorio de Sica) on his way to France to meet with Andre. Of course, the earrings soon find their way back to Louise. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Screen: Black and White
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Mono
• Subtitle: Eng
• Features:
  • New, restored high-definition digital transfer
  • Audio commentary featuring film scholars Susan White and Gaylyn Studlar
  • Introduction by filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
  • Interviews with Ophuls collaborators Alain Jessua, Marc
  • Frederix, and Annette Wademant
  • A visual analysis of the movie by film scholar Tag Gallagher
  • Interview with novelist Louise de Vilmorin on Ophuls's adaptation of her story
  • New and improved English subtitle translation
  • Plus: A booklet featuring a new essay by Molly Haskell, an excerpt from costume designer Georges Annenkov's 1962 book Max Ophuls, and the source novel, Madame de, by Vilmorin

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Nominated Best Black and White Costume Design - 1954 (Rosine Delamare, Georges Annenkov)

• Telluride Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 1997

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Charles Boyer - Gen. Andre de...
       Danielle Darrieux - Countess Louise de . . .
       Vittorio De Sica - Baron Fabrizio Donati
       Jean Debucourt - M. Remy, the jeweler
       Mireille Perrey - Mme. de. . .'s Nurse
       Hubert Noel - Henri de Maleville
       Paul Azais
       Lea di Lea - Lola, general's mistress
       Guy Favieres - Julien
       Serge Lecointe - Jerome
       Leon Walther - Theater manager
       Lia Di Leo - Lola
       Jean Galland - M de Bernac
       Madeleine Barbulee - Mme. de . . .'s Friend

• Director:

  Max Ophüls

• Producer:

  Ralph Baum, Max Ophüls

• Screenwriter:

  Marcel Achard, Max Ophüls, Annette Wademant

• Book Author:

  Louise de Vilmorin

• Cinematographer:

  Christian Matras

• Composer (Music Score):

  Georges Van Parys, Oscar Straus

• Editor:

  Boris Lewin

• Production Designer:

  Jean D'Eaubonne

• Set Designer:

  Jean D'Eaubonne

• Costume Designer:

  Rosine Delamare, Georges Annenkov

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Antoine Petitjean

• Production Manager:

  H.R. Baum

REVIEW:

• A wonderful companion piece to director Max Ophuls' La Ronde, Madame de... spins a similar tale of serial affairs among the rich and idle. But its darker tone has rightfully earned its status as the filmmaker's great triumph. A minority camp would give the nod to Lola Montes. The pair of earrings which pass from hand to hand come to symbolize deception and greed, pawns in silly games of love. Ophuls connects his characters with a camera (directed by his frequent collaborator Christian Matras) which glides in and out of well-appointed rooms, suggesting that there are no degrees of separation in this world. Few filmmakers could match Ophuls' talent for exposing the need among the wealthy and titled to keep up appearances. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi