The Strange Ones
Elisabeth and her brother Paul live in isolated seclusion from much of the world after Paul is injured in a snowball fight. As a coping mechanism, the two conjure a hermetic dream of their own making. Their relationship, however, is far from wholesome. Jealousy and a malevolent undercurrent seep into their fantasy when Elisabeth invites the strange Agathe to stay with them — and Paul is instantly attracted to her.
Director(s)
Jean Cocteau
Jean-Pierre Melville
Serge Bourguignon
Claude Pinoteau
Cast & Crew
Details
Reviews
CinemaSerf
"Paul" (Edouard Dermithe) is a young man who comes off rather badly after a snowball fight; one finds it's mark necessitating a visit from their doctor who advises bedrest - on a pretty permanent basis! He is to be looked after by his sister "Elisabeth" (Nicole Stéphane) with whom he shares a room. What now ensues is a hybrid of the sibling and the marital as their love to hate to love relationship, bordering on the incestuous (but never actually more than bordering) evolves. Both characters are handsome to look at, there are undercurrents of homosexuality and depravity - moral, certainly, physical less so - but I have to say I found the whole thing just a bit on the sterile side. It's not that their relationship together, nor with the rather unattractive "Dargelos" (Renée Cosima) needed any sort of visual consummation - it doesn't; but there is little if any chemistry to raise this above a rather statically, though beatifically crafted, story of people who can't live with, or without, each other. i am certainly no expert on Cocteau on Melville, but I ought not to have to be - this film should be able to stand it's own merits, and for me it is just a rather extended, unremarkable family squabble, with occasionally pithy but all to frequently petulant dialogue that 70 years after lacks any real potency.
The Strange Ones FAQs
The directors of The Strange Ones are Jean Cocteau, Jean-Pierre Melville, Serge Bourguignon, and Claude Pinoteau.
The cast of The Strange Ones includes Jean-Marie Robain as Headmaster, Nicole Stéphane as Elisabeth, Edouard Dermithe as Paul, Renée Cosima as Dargelos / Agathe, Jacques Bernard as Gerard, Melvyn Martin as Michael, Maria Cyliakus as Mother, Maurice Revel as Doctor, Adeline Aucoc as Mariette, Roger Gaillard as Gerard's Uncle, Annabel Buffet as Model, Karin Lannby as Mother, and more.
The duration of The Strange Ones is 1h 47 mins.
The Strange Ones was released on 29 Mar 1950.
The Strange Ones is listed under Drama on Fanbiz.
The Strange Ones has 1 review on Fanziz, with an average rating of 6.0/10. One reviewer wrote: ""Paul" (Edouard Dermithe) is a young man who comes off rather badly after a snowball fight; one finds it's mark necessitating a visit from their doctor who advises bedrest - on..."
