THE BRIDE WORE BLACK

France, 1967, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Claude? Brialy, Michel Bouquet, Claude Rich, Charles Denner.
Directed by Francois Truffaut.

The Bride Wore Black is Truffaut's homage to Hitchcock. In the mid-sixties Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock for days and the book of their interviews was published and received very well. Truffaut takes crime themes and works on suspense rather than mystery, as does Hitchcock. This is a story of vengeance gradually revealed to the audience as a bride whose husband is accidentally killed takes revenge on the five men responsible for his death. Each of the vengeance sequences is most stylishly done creating great atmosphere and audience interest.

Jeanne Moreau is very effective as the bride sworn to vengeance. A gallery of French actors enact the parts of the victims very well indeed. Truffaut also uses colour, especially alternating costumes of black and white, for his avenging heroine. The next film that Truffaut made was The Mississippi Mermaid from a novel by the same author as The Bride Wore Black. The two could be well compared in discussing themes of guilt and responsibility, good and evil, appearances and reality.

1. The quality of this thriller? From a director such as Truffaut? His interest in and influence by Hitchcock? Similarities and differences?

2. The impact of the film as entertainment? As a fable about revenge and guilt and responsibility?

3. The importance of colour, French locations? The different atmosphere about Julie and her presence to each of her victims? The contrast with the wedding ceremony and its repetition? (The lyrical memory of her childhood?) The score by Bernard Herrmann with his Hitchcock associations?

4. The visual presentation and her different styles, the avenging personality, even to Diana the huntress? The alternating of black and white costumes? Her presence at the marriage ceremony and the build-up of detail about the ceremony through each memory?

5. Jeanne Moreau's presence as Julie? Initial puzzle as she tried to kill herself? Horror at the death of the first victim? Audience, sympathy, antipathy? The importance of the confession sequence? The fact that she seemed to have no feeling or that it had been deadened? Her reaction to the death of each of her victims? The importance of the fact that she did explain the situation to Morane? Was this for the person or for the third victim at this stage of the film? Fergus's response to her and drawing the unknown portrait? Julie as a real character? As a symbol of avenging and exterminating angel?

6. The atmosphere of suspense, puzzle? The build-up to audience interest in and involvement in the murders of the victims and sharing her vengeance?

7. The importance of showing the explanation only in the middle? The men themselves as we knew them from their deaths? Their playing cards, drinking the reaction with the rifle, the accident of the death and their decision to escape and not meet one another? Their irresponsibility and heartlessness? Did they deserve their deaths?

8. The killing of Bliss and the initial atmosphere? Julie's arrival at the hotel, the party, the chatter between the men, Corey and Bliss? Bliss's behaviour at his engagement party? The build up to his murder with the scarf and his reaching for it? His stupidity and immediate infatuation causing his death?

9. The transition to Coral and his room as revealing himself? As a type? Bachelor and a preoccupation with sexuality? The encounter with Julie and his invitation? His deference in improving his room? The violence of his death? And Julie's comment to him? Her explanation of reasons?

10. The long emphasis given to the Coral family? The importance of Julie's encounter with the little boy and the more humane aspects of her behaviour? The telegram, her return, dinner and Coral's behaviour? The games? The involvement of Morane in searching for the ring and his death? Her continuing vengeance as she locked and taped him in even while telling her story? The importance of her ringing to let the teacher off suspicion? Audience reaction to the danger of the framing of the teacher and the interrogation of the little boy?

11. The transition to the world of Fergus, his art, his work with Julie and paying off the model? His secret painting? The fact that we did not see his death but discovered him dead? The effect of Julie's discovery of the painting?

12. Delvaux at the garage, the irony of his being arrested before Julie could kill him? Corey and his suspicions? The importance of the funeral sequence and Julie being so noticeable with the veil? The build-up to her arrest, the irony of her wanting to be in prison? The screenplay's doubling of the serving of the meals and the build-up to the final scream? An appropriate ending?

13. What insights into human nature through this thriller? Death, life, justice and vengeance?