La maison de jade (1988) Online

What a wonderful movie! Unfortunately for the american viewing public, it does not come with subtitles. (When will the french movie industry learn?) Fortunately for me I happened to find this movie on video and have a french speaking contact that gave me an overview. Even without subtitles, the emotion of this movie, expressed thru the acting craft of Jacqueline Bissett and Vincent Perez, is wonderful. The story told by the film is one of love affairs, betrayal, and the resolve and strength of character to move on with life. Jeanne,(portrayed by Bissett), a writer living in France meets an exciting new man, Bernard (Perez). The storyline is shown to the viewer in retrospect by Jeanne's character. Using flashbacks of their relationship, the film shows Jeanne pondering the relationship from beginning to end, trying to determine what has gone wrong. They begin a passionate and wonderful love affair. As the relationship progresses, Bernard asks Jeanne to marry him and she declines stating that she is barren. Bernard professes to love her and states that it does not matter. Jeanne argues that she had a previous relationship that started out the same way and it ended because it did eventually matter. Bernard argues that it will not happen to them. Jeanne, loving this man as she does, believes him and they begin their engagement. Jeanne and Bernard begin making plans, buying a house etc, ie committing themselves to things longterm. This film offers wonderful scenes of love, passion, and eventually betrayal. Bernard reached his 30th birthday and secretly begins an affair with another woman. Jeanne, thru her flashbacks realizes that he has attempted to tell her something is wrong several times. She is caught off guard when Bernard finally tells her that he does need children and has been seeing someone else. Film watchers experience along with Jeanne's character, the ultimate act and feeling of betrayal, her desperation to try to hang on to and salvage this relationship, her despair which ultimately leads her to attempt at suicide. Thankfully unsucessful in her attempt, Jeanne realizes that she can't hold onto her hope for this relationship and using her talent as a writer, begins to write about this relationship as a form of therapy. As the movie ends the film watchers are satisfied that while Jeanne realizes that she has lost the love of her life, she's a stronger person and able to move forward in her life. J. Bissett and V. Perez give wonderful performances. I can't understand why this film has never been released in the USA with subtitles given the lead actress is so popular. The cinematography was wonderful and the direction of the film fast paced and held all the elements of a wonderfully passionate but sad love affair. If it is ever released with subtitles this would be a movie to watch.