The Lovers

Jeanne Tournier (Jeanne Moreau) is a bourgeois housewife who lives with her husband Henri, a successful newspaper editor, and daughter Catherine in a beautiful chateau near Dijon. However, the indifference of her husband (Henri) leaves Jeanne wanting and she seeks the excitement craved by her passionate soul through illicit trysts with her lover Raoul, during Parisian visits to her friend Maggy. The increasing frequency of her trips to the capital finally arouses Henri’s suspicion and he suggests inviting these Parisian acquaintances to their home for a change. With the awkward prospect of being in the presence of both husband and lover looming, Jeanne stumbles upon a chance encounter which will take her already complicated predicament on an unexpected turn.

Louis Malle’s early film is most commonly remembered for the outrage it caused upon its initial release, most particularly in the United States where legal cases were mounted to ban the film for its obscenity. This was due less to the sexual content (quite tame compared with contemporary fare) but more to the story of a sexually liberated woman with romantic agency. The Lovers remains as fresh as ever today and indeed has few imitators when it comes to the strong-willed, female character played by the stupefying Jeanne Moreau.

Following her collaboration with Malle in the noir Lift to the Scaffold, Moreau’s incredibly successful career was launched by this follow up. Similarly, at the tender age of 25, Malle already shows his inherent talent as a filmmaker, combining a wonderful score and lavish photography with a narrative ease. Awarded the special jury prize at Venice, The Lovers is vital work in the history of cinema.