BONJOUR TRISTESSE

US, 1954, 98 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Jean Seberg, Mylene Demongeot, Geoffrey Horne, Jean Kent, Walter Chiari, Juliette Greco, Martita Hunt, Roland Culver.
Directed by Otto Preminger.

From the novel by Francoise Sagan, her first novel. A Certain Smile was also filmed by Jean Negulesco about this time. The film teams David Niven and Deborah Kerr, who in this year also made Separate Tables. They were teamed in such films as Prudence and the Pill, Eye of the Devil and Casino Royale. Jean Seberg is the star and she had made her debut for Otto Preminger in the previous year in Saint Joan .

Otto Preminger made his mark in a wide variety of films from Laura to Carmen Jones to Exodus . He defied the
codes of Hollywood with The Moon is Blue and Hurry Sundown. Bonjour Tristesse is interesting for its use of wide screen, Riviera settings and the pink and black style for the sad memories of the rich life in Paris. A soap opera stylishly done.

1. How interesting and enjoyable a romantic melodrama? The film as soap opera? Its presentation of the wealthy life? The world of reality, fantasy?

2. The credits and their design, irony of wealth? The stars and their styles? Francoise Sagan's reputation at the time, later? A young French woman's view of this kind of world?

3. The use of colour, especially to indicate reality and unreality? Wide screen locations of the Riviera and Paris? The emphasis on the wealthy life, the fashions, parties? The melancholy of the title song, its lyrics?

4. The significance and tone of the title? The French overtones? Melancholy, boredom, guilt? The emptiness of life and the vanity of vanities theme?

5. The narrative device with Cecilia speaking, the flashbacks from her point of view, her comment on what happened? her moral estimate of people and of the situations? The audience sharing her view, differing from it?

6. The atmosphere of the opening with the emphasis on Paris, raciness, cars and speed, parties and superficial talk, the possibilities of boredom and repetition? Cecilia and her moving within this circle and her boredom? The transition to the Riviera and holidays? The Paris framework for the story and the irony of the ending, with the audience knowing what had happened, Anne's death? Cecilia looking into the mirror making herself up and the lyrics of the song?

7. How attractive was Jean Seberg in the central role? Her age, appearance, vitality? Her relationship with her father and imitating his way of life? Her enjoyment of his company, the intimacy between them, the way of life at the parties, wealth? Her boy friends, her permissive attitudes? What future did she have? How was she affected by her experience at the Riviera, adult life and emotions, playing with life and death? How did this change her? For the better? What future would she have after the film's ending?

8. David Niven's style as the aging playboy, his flirtations, his participation in the wealthy idle life, his infatuation with Anne, his relationship with his mistress and discarding her for Anne, his falling in love, sharing Anne's point of view, strictness with Cecilia? The comparison of the Lombards and their way of life? His falling into Cecilia’s trap, flirting with his mistress? The effect of Anne's leaving and her death? His realization of himself and his honesty to himself but inability to change, the influence of Anne’s death on his life, his resuming the playboy round? How would he live with this knowledge?

9. The possibilities of a happy life for Cecilia? Her friendship with the neighbouring boy, the lyrical scenes of their meeting on the beach, their friendship? Anne and her disapproval? Cecilia leading him into the fantasy world of the wealthy, the parties? His participation in Cecilia’s plan? His reaction to Anne's accusing him of improper behaviour? His resuming his studies?

11. Anne as the focus of the film? The expectation of her arrival, Deborah Kerr's presence and style, her initial angers, her primness, her being accused of being a prude, her overcoming of this? Her enjoying the holiday world of the Riviera? Her background in fashion design and her skills, her poise? Friendship with Raymond? Falling in love. the ball sequence and her uncertainty? The sequence of her asking Cecilia’s permission for the marriage? Her changing their lives, her strict approach. studies? Her criticism of the Lombards? The audience judging Anne by her behaviour and words and also hearing Cecilia’s comments?

12. Anne as the victim of Cecilia's plans, her cruelty in effecting the details, discussing them with the audience, her relentlessness? The involvement of the young people in the plan?

13. The emotional impact of Anne's discovery of the truth about Raymond, her death? How deliberate, how considerate to the others with the accident?

14. The presentation of the giddy world of the Riviera - the neighbours and the boy's mother and her interest in gambling, Raymond's mistress and her luck, the Lombards, the playboy from South America and his gambling? A background for understanding the central characters and the themes?

15. The moral tone of the film and its presentation of these characters. their way of life - asking for judgment on them?

16. The basic ingredients of popular soap opera - how well presented, for entertainment, for reflection?