Blanche (1971)

Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Writers: Walerian Borowczyk, Juliusz Slowacki
Starring: Michel Simon, Georges Wilson, Jacques Perrin, Ligia Branice, Denise Péronne, Michel Delahaye

A medieval castle somewhere in France. Blanche (Ligia Branice) is married to a much older nobleman (the great Michel Simon, Boudu Saved From Drowning, L'atalante) who has given her everything a young and beautiful woman like her deserves. They both seem happy.

When the King (Georges Wilson, Don't Torture a Duckling) and his page, Bartolomeo (Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso, Girl With a Suitcase), arrive in the castle, Blanche's life suddenly changes – she loses her identity and becomes a sexual object. Bartolomeo, a notorious seducer, is the first to approach Blanche. But he is promptly rejected and then confronted by Blanche's stepson, Nicolas (Lawrence Trimble), who has fallen madly in love her. Then the King attempts to seduce Blanche, but much like Bartolomeo he is also unceremoniously rejected. Meanwhile, the nobleman becomes convinced that Blanche has a secret lover and demands that she reveals his identity. When she attempts to prove that she has remained faithful to him, all hell breaks loose and blood is spilled.

Polish director Walerian Borowczyk's second feature film is not easy to deconstruct. It is loosely based on Juliusz Slowacki's 1839 play Mazepa and for the most part looks appropriately calm and elegant, a lot like a period fairy tale about pure love. But there is something really odd about all of its protagonists – they all have thoughts of impure or forbidden love. In other words, they seem completely out of sync with the film's period atmosphere.

Blanche, who is hardly as innocent as the title of the film suggests, is used as a litmus test. After the men approach her there are character transformations that expose weaknesses and complicate old and new relationships.

The film's visual design is just as unique. For example, the framing is very unusual – there are sequences where bodies are closely observed but the faces are ignored. There are specific lighting choices that further enhance the already very unusual atmosphere in the film as well.

The film is complemented by various medieval compositions performed with replicas of traditional period instruments. The sound is raw, lighter and far more direct than that produced by contemporary instruments.

Borowczyk shot Blanche with cinematographer Guy Durban, with additional support from André Dubreuil. The great French director Patrice Leconte (The Hairdresser's Husband, The Girl On The Bridge) was second assistant director on Blanche. Also assisting Borowczyk was Bernard Cohn, who collaborated with Robert Bresson's on Lancelot on the Lake and Akira Kurosawa on Ran.

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