Leviathan 1962

One of Malc's favourite books by Julien Green was filmed by Léonard Keigel in 1962.

* Titre original : Leviathan * Réalisation : Léonard Keigel * Scénario : René Gérard, Léonard Keigel d’après le roman de Julien Green (Léviathan, éditions Plon, 1929) * Dialogues : Julien Green * Musique : Arnold Schönberg * Direction de la photographie : Nicolas Hayer * Son : Louis Hochet * Décors : Antoine Mayo * Costumes : Roger Harth, Jean Patou * Montage : Armand Psenny * Photographe de plateau : Roger Corbeau * Pays d'origine : France France * Langue de tournage : français * Période de tournage : 6 février 1961 au 8 avril 1961 * Producteur : Léopold Schlosberg * Société de production : Les Films du Valois * Format : noir et blanc — 1.66:1 — son monophonique — 35 mm * Genre : drame * Durée : 98 min * Date de sortie : 1962 Distribution / Cast : * Lilli Palmer : Éva Grosgeorges * Louis Jourdan : Paul Guéret * Marie Laforêt : Angèle * Madeleine Robinson : Mme Londe * Georges Wilson : M. Grosgeorges * Édouard Francomme : le vieillard * Nathalie Nerval : Marie Guéret * Patrick Monneron : André

Review: In this moody and slightly eerie film, Jourdan plays a married tutor in a small French town. He meets Laforet, a young girl who lives in the village, and becomes wildly infatuated with her. His attraction grows into obsession, and he begins following her everywhere. He discovers that she is the mistress of the man whose son he has been tutoring. When Jourdan confronts her, she denies this, and he makes a pass. When she resists his advances, he tries to kill her and disfigures her face permanently. From then on he's on the run, killing an older man along the way. The story relies heavily on symbolism and suggestion, and the characterizations are not as well written as perhaps they could have been (though well acted, particularly by Robinson). For a first directorial effort, however, Keigel shows an able hand for narration and style. TV Guide

See Julian Green The Dark Journey on Malc's Library



While researching the post, I came across this wonderful version of Paint It Black by Marie Laforêt who appears in the film - seemed to fit in with the mood of the book and film!: