Bonjour Tristesse (1958)
If you don’t know any French, you’ll probably still figure out from the opening scene that Bonjour Tristesse is a sad movie. David Niven and Jean Seberg are dressing for a cocktail party. It’s in black-and-white and both of them look terribly depressed. The rest of the film intercuts their sorrowful present timeline with a flashback of the previous summer, in glorious Technicolor and full of sunshine and laughter. What could have happened to cause such a change in them? You’ll have to watch this visually beautiful (but very sad) movie to find out.
I love Otto Preminger’s talent, and the juxtaposition of the black-and-white scenes with the Technicolor ones is a very interesting, effective directing choice. Filmed on location in the French Riviera, the summer sequence is absolutely gorgeous. The ocean, cliffs, beach house, and David Niven make you want to take an immediate vacation. There’s just nothing like David Niven in glorious Technicolor, is there? His flattering tan, his sparkling blue eyes, his blinding white teeth – and it doesn’t hurt that he spends most of the movie prancing around in a swimsuit and showing off his fantastic legs!
Jean Seberg also spends most of the movie in her swimsuit, and with all the flirting and touching between her and The Niv, it comes as quite a shock to learn they play father and daughter in the movie. They certainly don’t act like it! Niv’s partying and playboy ways don’t set a good example for the innocent Jean, and when she gets a boyfriend, she can’t exactly turn to him with her worries. Instead, she turns to Deborah Kerr, and old friend of the family and a visitor to the Riviera. Deborah gets her share of swimsuit scenes as well, and during the summer, she juggles her respectable ideas and her indecent impulses. After all, she’s looking at The Niv in glorious Technicolor, too!
They made five movies together, and in his sunset years, David Niven moved to Switzerland to be neighbors with his dear friend, Deborah Kerr. In 1958, they also made Separate Tables together, but their relationship in this movie is quite different. There’s incredible chemistry between them, and when you see photos taken on the set, it’s extremely touching to see their affection. They look so sweet together, if I didn’t already wish she’d have married Robert Mitchum (who famously said, “Life would be kind if I could live it with Deborah”) I would have wished she’d married David Niven.
But back to the movie. It’s very heavy, and there are some viewers who will never want to watch it twice. I own a DVD copy and will keep viewing it because of the beautiful scenery – and the Riviera, of course. The story keeps you guessing, the tension and pace are compelling, and everyone looks lovely. But the literal translation of the title is “Hello Sadness,” so be prepared.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Deborah Kerr movies here!
More David Niven movies here!
I love Otto Preminger’s talent, and the juxtaposition of the black-and-white scenes with the Technicolor ones is a very interesting, effective directing choice. Filmed on location in the French Riviera, the summer sequence is absolutely gorgeous. The ocean, cliffs, beach house, and David Niven make you want to take an immediate vacation. There’s just nothing like David Niven in glorious Technicolor, is there? His flattering tan, his sparkling blue eyes, his blinding white teeth – and it doesn’t hurt that he spends most of the movie prancing around in a swimsuit and showing off his fantastic legs!
Jean Seberg also spends most of the movie in her swimsuit, and with all the flirting and touching between her and The Niv, it comes as quite a shock to learn they play father and daughter in the movie. They certainly don’t act like it! Niv’s partying and playboy ways don’t set a good example for the innocent Jean, and when she gets a boyfriend, she can’t exactly turn to him with her worries. Instead, she turns to Deborah Kerr, and old friend of the family and a visitor to the Riviera. Deborah gets her share of swimsuit scenes as well, and during the summer, she juggles her respectable ideas and her indecent impulses. After all, she’s looking at The Niv in glorious Technicolor, too!
They made five movies together, and in his sunset years, David Niven moved to Switzerland to be neighbors with his dear friend, Deborah Kerr. In 1958, they also made Separate Tables together, but their relationship in this movie is quite different. There’s incredible chemistry between them, and when you see photos taken on the set, it’s extremely touching to see their affection. They look so sweet together, if I didn’t already wish she’d have married Robert Mitchum (who famously said, “Life would be kind if I could live it with Deborah”) I would have wished she’d married David Niven.
But back to the movie. It’s very heavy, and there are some viewers who will never want to watch it twice. I own a DVD copy and will keep viewing it because of the beautiful scenery – and the Riviera, of course. The story keeps you guessing, the tension and pace are compelling, and everyone looks lovely. But the literal translation of the title is “Hello Sadness,” so be prepared.
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Deborah Kerr movies here!
More David Niven movies here!