Directed by Marcel Carné (Port of Shadows aka Le quai des brumes, Hôtel du Nord, Le jour se lève, Les portes de la nuit).
Written by Marcel Carné and Charles Spaak, and based on Émile Zola"s novel. Additional dialog by Charles Spaak.
Cinematography was by Roger Hubert, and Music by Maurice Thiriet.
The film stars Simone Signoret (Les diaboliques, Dédée d'Anvers) as Thérèse Raquin, Raf Vallone (Riso amaro, Obsession, Nevada Smith, The Italian Job)) as Laurent LeClaire, Jacques Duby as Camille Raquin, Sylvie (Crime and Punishment, Le corbeau, Sous le ciel de Paris) as Madame Raquin, Roland Lesaffre as le matelot (the sailor) Maria Pia Casilio as Georgette, la bonne.
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Simone Signoret as Thérèse Raquin
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Jacques Duby as Camille Raquin and Sylvie as Madame Raquin |
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Raf Vallone as Laurent LeClaire |
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Roland Lesaffre as le matelot |
The story
Lyon, Rhône, France
Our tale centers around Thérèse Dubois, an orphan.
Thérèse's parents died in an accident when she was a teenager. One of her aunts Madame Raquin agrees to take her in and invests Thérèse's inheritance into her fabric shop. Madame Raquin a very strong willed woman also has a fragile, sickly, always coming down with something, son, Camille. He would be an exemplar of your quintessential mama's boy. A mama's boy who she overly protects. It was she who arranged the marriage between Camille and Thérèse. Thérèse' had no other options, she was a minor with no say so, and is now stuck in this boring dead end with no way out.
We first meet this little trio in Lyon at a bocci ball court along the Rhone. Camille and Madame Raquin are intently commenting on the game, while a disinterested Thérèse is watching the river flow. When a breeze blows in Madame Raquin bundles up Camille, telling him that he will get bronchitis. She also denigrates Thérèse, telling Camille that she can't take care of him as good as she can. A nice recipe for disaster.
When they get to the apartment that they keep above the shop, Madame Raquin orders Camille to bed and for Thérèse to prepare a hot water bottle for Camille's feet. We catch Thérèse steal fleeting seconds peeping on lovers that she sees down on the street from her bedroom window.
We catch Thérèse steal fleeting seconds peeping on lovers that she sees down on the street from her bedroom window.
Camille BTW works as a shipping manager at a large trucking operation. One day Laurent LeClaire an Italian independent trucker of French decent, pulls into the loading dock and gets into an argument with Camille over his paperwork.
We cut to later that same day and watch as Laurent and Camille drive up in his truck to Madame Raquin's Fabric Shop. Laurent gets out and walks around the front of the truck to the passenger side and opens the door, catching Camille as he begins to spill out. He carries him inside.
Laurent gets out and walks around the front of the truck to the passenger side and opens the door, catching Camille as he begins to spill out. He carries him inside.
Here the tale switches onto the track to Noirsville. When Laurent and Thérèse see each other its love at first sight. Laurent assumes that Thérèse is Camille's sister. He can't believe it when she tells him that she is his wife.
Laurent hoists Camille into a position over his back, to negotiate the narrow spiral staircase up to Camille's bedroom. Yes, that's right Thérèse and Camille have separate bedrooms.
Apparently in Camille's mind Laurent and he are now best of friends, for Camille asks Laurent to the apartment on Thursday when his mothers friends drop over and they all bet against one another playing a horseracing table top game.
So on Thursday, Laurent comes over and plays the game, all the while Thérèse and he are stealing quick glances at each other, and when the old gamers get engrossed in the play. Laurent and Thérèse converse.
During the next few days Laurent is stewing over Thérèse. He decides to visit her at the shop. He walks in, finds Thérèse folding fabric and asks her if anyone is upstairs. Thérèse answers, my mother-in-law.
Laurent tells her that the they've only met twice but most important thing is that they met.
Laurent continues, confessing that all he owns is his truck. When he's bored of one town he goes to another. There's nobody in my life but there is in yours. Camille, but he means nothing. give me your hand and we'll leave together.
He wants to blow this popcorn stand, immediately. He wants her to make a clean cut.
Laurent continues, saying that someone else can be Camille's best friend. Thérèse if you hesitate everyone will be very unhappy. I've thought about it over and over, believe me. It would be better to leave at once without any discussion.
Thérèse hesitates telling Laurent that its a hard decision he's asking her to make. He replies that you prefer to ruin your life.
Another Thursday game day rolls along and after a few hours Laurent begs off playing any longer and leaves the game.
Cue the violins...
He goes out the door to the hallway and sees that Thérèse door has been left open. He at first passes the doorway but then comes back, he sees Thérèse standing in the window. He goes into the room and closes the door.
He walks over to the window and they embrace. He kisses Thérèse. Thérèse enthusiastically responds passionately kissing Laurent.
They drop out of the frame and we fade to black and the subtext is obvious. He bones her.
We now get a sequence of the lovers first meeting at the Moulin Brule an edge of town dance hall that's dead on weekdays. Thérèse takes a tram to her stop.
When Thérèse first walks in Laurent sitting at a table drinking a glass of wine is surprised to see her. She tells him that she couldn't get away the other days because she never goes out and had to find some excuse.
He tells her that he used to come here on weekends when its full of people like us who enjoy each other. He asks her if she dances? She tells him that she never learned, that she only knows how to do sad things. To mend and look after people, count money.
Getting bolder Laurent and Thérèse begin to meet during the day above the shop. She gives her aunt the excuse that she has a headache and is going to lay down. Then watches at the window for Laurent to come into the buildings entrance and walk up the main stairway up to the apartment.
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Madame Raquin is oblivious to what is going on upstairs |
Thérèse listens at the door and lets him in. They almost get caught when Thérèse lets that cat out of the room and it wanders down the spiral staircase to the shop. Madame Raquin, seeing the cat and knowing it likes to sharpen it's claws on her fabrics, grabs the feline and brings it upstairs and into to Thérèse's room. Laurent is hiding behind the door when Madame Raquin opens it and chastises Thérèse, who is laying on the bed partially disrobed, about letting the cat out.
Once Madame Raquin leaves, Laurent tells Thérèse he wishes that she'd have caught them. Laurent explains to Thérèse that he has to tell Camille. He's had you for six years, now its my turn.
We cut to an upset Camille coming into the shop and asking his mother where Thérèse is. When his mother asks what wrong he tells her nothing.
He heads up the spiral staircase where he finds Thérèse setting out the dishes for dinner. Camille while angrily hanging up his hat removing his coat and putting on a sweater, all the time looking at Thérèse raises his voice. Thérèse continues setting the table.
Camille: Didn't you hear me come in? Do you know who I just saw? Know what he said? Mother should never have taken you in. We should have seen it coming knowing your parents. But you're no longer Thérèse Dubois, you're Mrs. Thérèse Raquin! The law requires that you obey and respect me. Look at me! I demand that you look at me!
Thérèse walks away.
Camille: A truck driver! What will I look like? And a foreigner at that. Nobody knows where he's from. Thérèse tell me it's not serious. You can't forget what we spent on your education and the rest. Want a slap in the face? If you go what will become of me? Thérèse, we were so happy!
Thérèse: I wasn't happy.
Camille: You, you. Are you the only one who counts? If I killed you, I'd be set free. And I'd have the right to kill him too. Tell me you still love me a little. You see you need not go away. I'm going to bed. It won't be long before I'm dead. I'm already cold. I prefer your anger to this blackmail. Without you I'd be dead. When I was a kid I refused my medications. And for years you drank them too to fool me into swallowing them. I don't hold it against you, but you should have let me die instead.
Thérèse: Stop talking about your death!
Camille: What do you want me to talk about when you're trying to kill me? A sudden passion like that can't be called love. It's a seizure! I have an idea. Lets go to Paris for a few days. I'll get free permits. We'll stay at Aunt Harriett's, and save money for theater and luxuries.
Thérèse: My poor Camille three day's in Chatoux won't change a thing.
Camile [kisses her hand]: It sure will. You can't deny me one little chance. Or else I'll drown myself.
Thérèse: You'd threaten me again when we get back.
Camille: No I won't I swear I won't. And afterwards if you still want to leave... I ask you to give me three days no more. Thankyou Thérèse, we'll leave tomorrow.
At this point Madame Raquin is heard climbing the spiral stairway. She sits at the table and when Thérèse goes into the kitchen Camille tells his mother that something serious has happened and that he taking Thérèse on a trip to Aunt Harriet's. The apparently eavesdropping mom replies that she knew something was up between those two. She chastises him for being too lenient with Thérèse. He tells mother he plans on locking her up at Aunt Harriet's, no phone no letters no money. She'll learn what a husband is.
Downstairs, in the shop Thérèse, calls The Moulin Brule and tells Laurent that she's trapped and Camille is taking her to Paris tonight on the train. Laurent tells her to trust him, he'll manage it.
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We cut to the Gare de Lyon station, and watch as Thérèse and Camille board the Paris train.
Thérèse and Camille find a compartment with a sleeping sailor and choose it.
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Meanwhile Laurent has already driven his truck North and is approaching Macon. There his plan is to board the Paris train when it arrives, search the each cars compartments until he and finds Thérèse.
Once on board and the train leaves Macon, Laurent begins to look for Thérèse and Camille. When he finds their compartment he sees Camille asleep on Thérèse's shoulder, and a sleeping sailor occupying the bench seat across from them.
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Laurent motions to her to come out to the corridor. She tells a half awake Camille that she needs some air and slips out. They slip down to the vestibule between cars.
Laurent tells her the plan is to get off at Chalon the next stop then catch the next train South back to Macron and they will pick up his truck and take off to where ever they want to go. They start to embrace and kiss.
At this time Camille awakens and goes out into the corridor looking for Thérèse. When he finds the two lovers he threatens Laurent that he'll call the police. They get into a fight and Laurent pushes Camille from the train as it's going full speed.
Noirsville
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What can you say, a Classic French Noir with an actual NOIR ending. When it rains it pours. Jacques Duby, plays milk-toast Camille Raquin to perfection. Raf Vallone and Simone Signoret have some good chemistry going in their scenes. Sylvie is quite severe and properly intense and Roland Lesaffre as the sleazy sailor convincing. 8/10