Les Enfants Terribles (AKA The Strange Ones)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
1950
****
I'm a big fan of Jean Cocteau's work and I have read the novel on which this is based and I just can't understand why Cocteau didn't direct it himself!? He was just getting over his opium addiction at the time but I can't help but think that might have helped. Considering both he and Melville clashed on so many aspects of this film it hasn't turned out too bad but the contrasts of the two is obvious. For starters, I think the casting of Edouard Dermithe was wrong, as did Melville, but it's obvious that he was Cocteau's object of desire. Renée Cosima dual role was confusing and added nothing to the story but at least Nicole Stéphane did a fine job. Unfortunately both Cocteau and Melville have been on better form, it lacked Cocteau's usual flare and Melville's often brash but poetic intensity but it did follow the story perfectly when it mattered.