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La Ronde [VHS] [1950]
 
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La Ronde [VHS] [1950]

VHS ~ Anton Walbrook
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Synopsis

After ten years in Hollywood, where he made the acclaimed LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN, Max Ophuls returned to France. His first film, LA RONDE, is taken from Arthur Schnitzler's play REIGEN, which features a series of interlocking love stories set in Vienna at the turn of the 19th Century. Ophuls added the visual metaphor of the merry-go-round and a raconteur (Anton Walbrook), who comments on love as the characters move from one partner to another. A student seduces a chambermaid, then, filled with confidence, has an affair with a married woman who goes home to her husband, who then goes off to his mistress--and so on until the circle comes back to the beginning. The situations and dialogue were considered quite risqué at the time and the film was actually banned in America. Now, afternoon TV soap operas are more graphic, but not as witty or subtle in their approach to the vicissitudes of l'amour. Ophüls directs with a fluid grace and Simon Signoret, Danielle Darrieux, and Alfred Gelin give outstanding performances.


Schnitzler's work returned to popularity in the late 1990s with David Hare's play THE BLUE ROOM, another adaptation of REIGEN, staring Nichole Kidman. His short stories were also the source material for Stanley Kubrick's EYES WIDE SHUT.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A confection of naughtiness, 1 Nov 2008
By John Eyon "Little Raven" (Seattle - USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: La Ronde [DVD] [1950] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC] (DVD)
A chocolate confection of a movie.

Set in Vienna circa 1900, based on a play by Viennese playwrite Arthur Schnitzler, it's a series of vignettes more about lust than love. The vignettes flow together by having one person appearing the the next -- generally being the seducer in one, the victim in the other.

As I understand it, Ophuls moderated the promiscuous tone of Schnitzler's play. There is definitely a sense of regret and loss over these random flings despite their inevitableness.

Still, the tone is somewhat light, at times almost flighty. There's a master of ceremonies (Anton Walbrook) holding the entire thing together, as well as a pretty melody by Oscar Stauss. There are even the daring intrusions of moviemaking -- a clapboard, a filmstrip with the sex scene being cut out -- and, one time, a hugely amusing bit of symbolism with the merry-go-round.

As with LE PLAISIR, many fine French actors appear. Sometimes, the same ones. Danielle Darrieux at her most beautiful. Simone Simon. Daniel Gélin. Jean-Louie Barrault (a little over-the-top). Simone Signoret. Gérard Philipe (a beautifully nuanced performance).

Similar to LE PLAISIR (Region 1) -- but different. And about equal in quality and enjoyment.

The Criterion DVD extras include a film commentary, an informative presentation by writer Allan Williams, and informative interviews with Daniel Gélin (1989) and son of Max, Marcel Ophuls (2008).
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