Diary of a Lost Girl (1929, Germany)

My cousin and I were talking about how we both wanted to see a Louise Brooks movie, so we ended up watching this one together. It was truly fascinating how risqué a pre-Hays code film could be. There was a man with many mistresses, a young girl seduced by an older man, out of wedlock pregnancy and subsequent adoption, a girls' reformatory with questionable ownership, prostitution... I mean, wow. Melodrama!

For the most part, the film was easy to follow, though some parts I had to look up later to see what exactly had happened. I don't know how much of that was my not being used to watching silent film and how much was a lack of clarity on the part of the filmmaker. Still, as I said it was mostly understandable, and rather engaging as well. It was a bit too melodramatic for my taste, but it was clearly a product of the times. I supposed to main reason to watch it today (or in 1929 for that matter) is to soak in the performance of Louise Brooks. Her big innocent eyes just capture the viewer. It's hard to tear yourself away.

Just fascinating!

Rating: 3.5

Belle de jour (1967, France)

Only the French, I'm telling you. Catherine Deneuve, who I have to say is a very good actress, is a young woman who is in love with her new husband but frigid in bed. So while her husband is at work, she ends up spending her afternoons as a prostitute while staying chaste in her marriage.

Obviously this was supposed to be a commentary on women's desires and how psychological traumas can pervert these desires. Not a bad concept, but I think it could have been executed better. Then again, maybe it was just dated.

Rating: 2.5