Robert Tanitch reviews two films by Francois Truffaut
ANNE & MURIEL (Artificial Eye) is an-depth study of free-love and set in the era just before World War 1. “Live first; define it later,” is its message. A young Frenchman (Jean Pierre Leaud) is in love with two English girls, two sisters, Anne (Kika Markham) and Muriel (Stacey Tendeter). Hearts are broken because the trio do not want to hurt each other. This affecting, very tender, very literary film, released in 1972, is one of Francois Truffaut’s very best and will remind many viewers of Jules et Jim. The two films share the same author, Henry-Pierre Roche; Anne & Muriel is far more complex and mature.
A GORGEOUS GIRL LIKE ME (Artificial Eye), which also dates from 1972, is definitely not one of Francois Truffaut’s best films. A woman in prison (Bernadette Lafont) on a murder charge is interviewed on tape by a naive sociologist (Andre Dussolier). Her story, which is the story of her male victims, which started with the death of her dad at the age of nine, is never as funny as it promises to be. The five males are caricatures and you can easily guess what will happen to a nerd like the sociologist.
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