The Soft Skin (La peau douce)
Directed by Francois Truffaut
Written by Francois Truffaut and Jean-Louis Richard
1964/France
Les Films du Carosse/SEDIF/Simar Films
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Pierre Lachenay: I’ve learned that men’s unhappiness arises from the inability to stay quietly in their own room.[/box]
Adultery works out unsatisfactorily for every one concerned in this interesting film from Francois Truffaut.
Pierre Lachenay (Jean Desailly) is a famous literary critic who is popular on TV and the lecture circuit. He is married to Franca (Nelly Benedetti) and they have one daughter, Sabine, about age 10. She seems devoted to him. One day on a flight to Lisbon he spots airline stewardess Nicole (Francoise Dorleac) and they keep running into each other in the airport and at the hotel where both overnight. He calls her and so begins their affair.
The affair involves a lot of lying and sneaking and Pierre is not very clever at this game. He literally cannot stay away from Nicole however. Inevitably, his marriage hits the skids. And then …
I liked everything about this movie. Truffaut made all the characters very identifiable. I really was not expecting the ending!!! Dorleac, who was Catherine Deneuve’s elder sister, is a revelation. Recommended.
