Devil in the Flesh

The star of this film, Micheline Presle, has passed away.

I watched this film a year ago and I couldn't believe how fresh, how not-boring, how full of emotions were all these films made before the New Wave. What was New Wave trying to fix, anyway? Perhaps only the production design costs.

This film about a younger man dating older woman sets an ominous tone right from the start. It's Gerard Philipe's acting that gives away the immaturity of the young man. It's not that he is so much younger than her, it's just that he's too young to act maturely, to be able to make decisions and stick to them. He's a child. Back then, this story was scandalous, today it would even be criminal. I enjoyed every minute of it! The cinematography is such that one can feel Gerard Philipe's skin when Micheline Presle caresses him. What more could you want?