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The Story of Marie and Julien

Released Aug 12, 2003 2h 30m Drama List
62% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 75% Audience Score 500+ Ratings
A clock repairman (Jerzy Radziwiłowicz) reunites with his former lover (Emmanuelle Béart), while remaining entangled in a blackmail plot. Read More Read Less

Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Peter Bradshaw Guardian All the story's power is allowed to leak away by the deliberative heaviness with which Rivette pads through his 150-minute narrative, with its exasperating lack of dramatic emphasis. Rated: 2/5 Nov 12, 2007 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Far from bad, but academic and -- for once with this director -- overlong. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Alan Morrison Empire Magazine An intellectual exercise in metaphysical romance -- Ghost for art-house audiences. But what it gains from structural analysis, it loses in emotional impact. Rated: 3/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Dan Sallitt Senses of Cinema I can't always see what [director Jacquees] Rivette gains by stripping his presentation down to such bare patterns of encryption, but his cerebrality paradoxically heightens the sensual impact of his imagery. Oct 17, 2018 Full Review Philip French Observer (UK) For a picture about the fantastic and supernatural, it's a surprisingly flat and unmagical affair. Nov 12, 2007 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews An intellectually dazzling but slow-moving, dreary and somewhat pretentious chamberwork. Rated: B- Oct 10, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (26) audience reviews
david f Mystery and romance intertwine in this talky continental drama. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A very deliberately paced story, it keeps the viewer guessing what the movie is really about for quite some time. Yet somehow it's not boring. You do need to have patience to fully appreciate it, though. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member (***): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Its overlong by at least 25 minutes, but the story did keep me interested throughout. Marginal thumbs up. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Pure nightmare. There is no ground under your feet, no light from lighthouse. Only cold at your spine. Amazing how it can be done so simple. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Wanna know the difference between French films and American films? Here's the answer. SPOILER: This is how the French handled the basic theme of "Ghost." With much intelligence, much mystery, slow revealing, slow pacing -- and, thank goodness, no Whoopi Goldberg whatsoever. RECOMMENDATION: It's Emmanuelle Béart. Be there. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A modest little gem. As you probably guessed, this is about the relationship between Marie and Julien who reconnect after sharing an unspecified though likely intimate encounter one year ago. Not long after meeting Marie, I thought to myself, "There is something wrong with this woman" and I was right although not nearly in the way I expected. To reveal any more would be irresponsible, all I will say is that any seasoned moviegoer has seen dozens of this kind of movie, but I have not seen one handled quite this way which was very gratifying. It is slow, long, and methodical, there is absolutely no music soundtrack, and often you must watch people performing actions in silence. However if you are patient and curious enough to discover the secrets, there is quite a surprise in store, some genuinely erotic love scenes, and a teary, fulfilling conclusion. I've seen over 25 of Emmanuelle Beart's films and this rates among her finest, plus it features a cat named Nevermore who gives one of the best feline performances of all time! I'm very glad I went into this blind and you will be thankful too the less you know. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Story of Marie and Julien

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A clock repairman (Jerzy Radziwiłowicz) reunites with his former lover (Emmanuelle Béart), while remaining entangled in a blackmail plot.
Director
Jacques Rivette
Producer
Martine Marignac
Screenwriter
Jacques Rivette
Distributor
Bright Angel Distribution
Production Co
Pierre Grisé Productions, Cinemaundici
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 12, 2003, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 23, 2005
Runtime
2h 30m
Sound Mix
Stereo