On 2009-05-24 Jay Dickson, Portland, OR wrote: Max Ophuls´s anthology of three Guy de Maupassant stories all revolve around the same theme of how difficult the pursuit of pleasure is and what must be sacrificed for it. Like of all of his films, the stories all center upon the problems of loving in different ways and showcase his extraordinary gifts with camera motion and mise-en-scene. The first story, ´La Masque,´ is the thinnest of the three, and involves the secret behind a masked man who collapses while dancing with abandon at the Palais de la danse; the third, ´La Modele,´ also seems not much more than a sketched-out anecdote, and concerns the horrifying upshot of a failing relationship between an artist and his lovely model (Simone Simon). The central story, ´La Maison Tellier,´ is the longest of the three stories and by far the best. It may be one of the finest short stories ever filmed for the screen (with other possible contenders being Renoir´s 1946 A DAY IN THE COUNTRY, also based on a Maupassant story, and Satyajit Ray´s ´The Postmaster,´ in his collection TWO DAUGHTERS, based on a Rabindranath Tagore tale). The bare sketch of the action of this episode involves the madam of a small town´s brothel takes her prostitutes to her brother´s place in the country for her niece´s first communion, while the men back in the town suffer through the unexpected loss of their greatest pleasure in life. Meanwhile, the prostitutes find themselves unexpectedly affected by their change of scene and by the central ritual during their vacation, while the madam´s brother (the great Jean Gabin) becomes enamored of one of his sister´s women (Danielle Darrieux). When the women return to their town, the townsmen and the prostitutes alike celebrate the return of the normal routine of pleasure.
Part of what makes this central episode so particularly great is that the story´s plot cannot do justice to its mysterious poignancies and subtle effects; it assumes the leisurely pace of a weekend vacation itself and doesn´t rush things. The episode is genuinely moving, and Ophuls allows the viewer as much sympathy for all the characters, and also shows how pleasure can be made relative by varying contexts (although a peasant woman recognizing the women for what they are in their railway carriage turns her nose up at them after leaving, the brother´s countrymen treat the harlots as glamorous visitors from the city and compliment him for bringing them out). All three episodes are worth seeing if only for Ophuls´s incredible use of sets and of movement through them. The Palais de la danse sequence that begins the first episode has been much celebrated, as are the crane shots outside the brothel that show the hidden pleasures within that both open and close ´La Maison Tellier,´ and the great POV shot in ´La Modele´ that brings its action to a climax. There´s a very helpful ´introduction´ that should be seen after the film (instead of before it) by the independent director Todd Haynes, and several interesting other extras.. And summed up by saying The great difficulty of having a good time. Currently Le Plaisir has an overall rating of 8 over 10.
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Criterion Collection claimed Roving with his dazzlingly mobile camera around the decadent ballrooms, bucolic countryside retreats, urban bordellos, and painter´s studios of late nineteenth-century Parisian society, Max Ophuls brings his astonishing visual dexterity and storytelling bravura to this triptych of tales by Guy de Maupassant about the limits of spiritual and physical pleasure. Featuring a stunning cast of French stars (including Danielle Darrieux, Jean Gabin, and Simone Simon), Le plaisir pinpoints the cruel ironies and happy compromises of life with a charming and sophisticated breeziness. SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:New, restored high-definition digital transfer, Introduction by filmmaker Todd Haynes, English- and German-language versions of the opening narration, From Script to Screen, a video essay featuring film scholar Jean-Pierre Berthome discussing the evolution of Ophuls´s screenplay for Le plaisir, Interviews with actor Daniel Gelin, assistant director Tony Aboyantz, and set decorator Robert Christides, New and improved English subtitle translation. PLUS: A new essay by film critic Robin Wood.
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