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Confidentially Yours | Year: 1983 Classification: Foreign Film - French Directed: - François Truffaut Of Love and Death This movie was a holy grail of sorts for me when I first saw it years ago in Berlin at a Truffaut retrospective. In German, it is titled "Auf Liebe und Tod" ("Of Love and Death"). I asked the ticket taker what it was called in the original, and she didn't know. Being in the days before the www, I finally found out it was called "Vivement Dimanche!" in French ("Lively Sunday"). It took me another year before I traced its English title, "Confidentially Yours." Isn't it amazing how these widely divergent titles reflect their languages and cultures? Well, then years later, the wait became trying to find a VHS to rent, then later I pensively waited for the DVD release. But, now I have the DVD, and couldn't be happier! Of course, the DVD doesn't have many "extras," but since I don't buy DVDs for extras, it's no big deal. The subtitles by Laurent Bouzereau, however, are excellent, and at least faithful to my memory of the German dubbing (speaking no French, I suppose this means the German dubbing was also faithful), and in much more a sophisticated vernacular than the old VHS I saw. As with "The Bride Wore Black," "Confidentially Yours" is Truffaut's overt hommage to the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Unlike "bride," though, there's no Bernard Herrmann score, but not to worry! French composer and Truffaut favourite Georges Delerue ("The 400 Blows," "Jules and Jim," "Hiroshima Mon Amour") conjures a dark soundtrack worthy not only of Herrmann, but hearkens back to Max Steiner, Miklos Roscza and Franz Waxman with his forboding themes on the lower strings. Actually, although "Confidentially Yours" is inspired by Hitch, it is also a tribute to the great film noirs of the 1940s, and even has an element of screwball comedy about it. Jean-Louis Trintignant stars as the luckless Vercel, a small-time realtor in Southern France who's been framed for murder. So, like Hitch's man on the run, Vercel must hide out while Gal Friday Barbara, played with sophisticated wit, sexiness and charm by Fanny Ardant (who bears an eerie resemblance both to Geena Davis and Patricia Neal), who sets about proving his innocence. Of course, Vercel's fate only sinks further as two more murders are attributed to him as he eludes the cops. Through a series of twists and double-crosses that are more out of Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep" than Hitchcock, Ardant eventually gets Trintignant off the hook, and in the process discovers -- voila! -- she's been in love with her rather abrasive boss all along. "Confidentially Yours" is a fitting denouement for Truffaut: A neat and tidy bundle of murder, betrayal, revenge, love and lust in a lighthearted vein. Francois, you left us too soon! HITCHCOCKIAN LOVE AND MURDER The late Francois Truffaut was one of the inventors and purveyors of French New Wave cinema. He was also an ardent admirer of Alfred Hitchcock. In "CONFIDENTIALLY YOURS," Truffaut's last film, he deftly pays homage to Sir Alfred and displays the signature cinematic style he so loved in a noirish tale of love and murder. The witty screenplay, adapted by Truffaut and Suzanne Schiffman, is based on American Charles William's novel, "The Long Saturday Night" but relocated to a small town in the South of France. The premise is simple. Vercel (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a luckless businessman who is under suspicion for murdering his wife and her lover. His smart and beautiful secretary Barbara (Fanny Ardent), who is hopelessly in love with her boss, tries to solve the murder and prove his innocence while Varcel hides in his office and then is on the lam. The beauty of this elegant and intelligent film is in the role reversals that make the familiar territory a brand new landscape. The sentimentality that permeates almost every scene is never allowed to soften the unexpected, and sometimes cutting, dark humor. The crisp, striking black and white cinematography is by Néstor Almendros ("Two English Girls"). A French Twist On Hitchcock Anyone familar with Francois Truffaut knows about his love for the films of Alfred Hitchcock. Then, it should come as no suprise to find Truffaut paying homage to the "Master of Suspense". Jean-Louis Trintignant is our man in questioning. He has been accused of not only the murder of his wife but also the murder of two other people. Now, he and his secretary must prove his innocence. Fanny Ardant(Truffaut's then wife) is absolutely amazing to watch. I enjoyed her performance a great deal. This movie does seem to play off like a "real" Hitchcock movie only it doesn't have a certain feeling to it. We know we're watching a "forgery" in a sense. Truffaut, for however talented he may be, can't really pull this off completely. Granted, "Confidentially Yours" is fun, and exciting entertainment by one of the greatest French directors of all time. It just can't really hold up to Hitchcock classics like "Rear Window", "North By Northwest", and "The Birds". I hate to sound like I don't like this film, because I do. I think Truffaut is a great filmmaker. A genius! And he remains as one of my favorites. This isn't really a good movie to start watching Truffaut with though. It is a good movie in general though, and is really enjoyable to watch. I do recommend this movie to everybody, especially Hitchcock and Truffaut fans, as well as foreign films fans too. An enjoyable movie by one of the finest directors that ever lived! Buy Confidentially Yours at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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