The Man who was not there

the Man who was not there is a Film carried out by Rene Féret in 1987.

Synopsis

Charles Elaine goes from success in success. Famous actor, his career is held without clashes, thanks to the councils of Strosser and his daughter Isabelle, his lawyers. But somebody, in the shade, wants his loss, to bring it to the madness, with the crime, by applying to him the theories of a psychiatrist for whom “one can return insane no matter whom by handling it skilfully”. False noises, terminated contracts, strange coincidences, Rella which he likes, which attracts it and refuses with him: all anxious Charles. Soon, whereas he repeats the role of Macbeth, it is a drama which obsesses it, the deadly fall of his/her father in Blackcurrant cliffs when it was child, that “one” uses. Put in scene, allusions follow one another, to persuade it that it of it was responsible. Who thus may find it beneficial to destroy it? Alice, her sister? Alexandre, his father-in-law and father of Alice?

Distribution

Critical

Rene Féret tried an opening in the psychological thriller, while taking as a starting point an American novel of Roderick Mac Leish. It turned in sumptuous and impressive decorations, muddled with pleasure the hank of the anguish, given to its setting in scene of beautiful flights baroques with catches of air sights. Aesthetically, one can let oneself there take. Other side of the coin: an invertebrate scenario, a direction of actors distanciée by a play awkwardly hieratic, a shifted diction. One finds Claude Jade with pleasure always ambiguous, in the good knack good kind, but, as a whole, interpretation floats. And, even equipped by Thierry Mugler, Rene Féret cannot transform itself into Charles Elaine, who should be a professional. (Jacques Siclier, Le Monde )

Technical credits

Music: Rene Urtreger.

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