The Duchess of Langeais Critic Reviews

Jacques Rivette has brought the Balzac short story to screen as a superb chamber drama. His is a graceful work of austerity and formality that perfectly captures the chaos of repressed emotions that see beneath the rigid conventions of aristocratic society.Read the full review

The movie's satisfactions are subtle, but they run deep, and there are many.Read the full review

Duchess of Langeais seems to me a nearly impeccable work of art -- beautiful, true, profound.Read the full review

Though not exactly a "comedy" of manners, since it's more melancholy than funny, The Duchess Of Langeais is very much concerned with how the rules of social etiquette interfere with raw human need.Read the full review

A highbrow chick flick that made me feel older, in a good way.Read the full review

With its sophisticated psychology, its brilliant story structure and its riveting performances, The Duchess of Langeais feels very new, even if everything about it is old.Read the full review

Rivette uses intertitles (including some direct quotes from Balzac) to move the plot along and underline the dry wit. Helming is both leisurely and exact, offering auds ample opportunities to intimately observe the selfishness and folly of two people who would rather fight than switch.Read the full review