Bonjour Tristesse 08/16/25

Otto Preminger’s take on the Françoise Sagan’s novel finds the right tone despite the drawback of censorship limitations and Englanders and Americans playing French characters. CinemaScope and Technicolor on Saint-Tropez locations help, but the big plus is the radiant presence of Preminger’s discovery Jean Seberg as Sagan’s amoral heroine Cécile. David Niven is the father Cécile adores, and Deborah Kerr the romantic interloper that she can’t abide. We have to imagine the decadent details, yet the picture feels like something new, progressive. Music by Georges Auric; Juliette Gréco sings. On Region B Blu-ray from Powerhouse Indicator.
08/16/25