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The Story of Adele H

Play trailer Poster for The Story of Adele H PG Released Oct 8, 1975 1h 37m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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93% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Adèle Hugo (Isabelle Adjani), daughter of renowned French writer Victor Hugo, falls in love with British soldier Albert Pinson (Bruce Robinson) while living in exile off the coast of England. Though he spurns her affections, she follows him to Nova Scotia and takes on the alias of Adèle Lewly. Albert continues to reject her, but she remains obsessive in her quest to win him over. When Albert is stationed in the West Indies, Adèle once again trails him, furthering her downward spiral.

Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker It's deeply, disarmingly funny -- which Truffaut has never been before. This picture is so totally concentrated on one character that its a phenomenon. Oct 19, 2023 Full Review Molly Haskell Village Voice ... a remarkable love story... Jan 23, 2018 Full Review Phil Hardy Time Out The film is a disaster because, in place of the self-conscious reflection of her predicament conveyed by Adèle's journal (on which the film is based), Truffaut opts for the Hollywood formula of hapless unrequited love. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review Jeff Simon Buffalo News When Truffaut tries to sympathize, he isn't very good. Here, he doesn't really try. He says nothing more than 'madness is very strange, is it not?' It is. That's why The Story of Adele H. is one of his best films. Feb 25, 2025 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com ...well-upholstered, thoughtfully told…Adele H is a striking, sympathetic heroine who rails against ‘the swindle of identity’; her narrative has a resonance at a time when women are told to shut up and let men make their decisions for them, like it or not Rated: 4/5 Nov 18, 2024 Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) The film moves with a special grace and beauty that only Truffaut can achieve. But the story is told too well... Romantic as I am, The Story of Adele H. was too much for me to take. May 9, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Logan D The daughter (Isabelle Adjani) of a famous French author obsesses over a British officer. Early in this film I was ready to dismiss this as the portrayal of an immature woman not willing to take no for an answer. However, I figured since it was Truffaut so it had to have more to it than that. Indeed it does. Once one learns the truth of the mental health issues suffered by Adele one has sympathy for her plight as it's a haunting truth that people do suffer and so did she. This is a biography, not just a drama. Sadly, adequate treatment did not exist for such a person in the late 1800s so the film is also a tragedy. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/04/25 Full Review Alec B Adjani gives a great performance, as you are sort of disarmed by her at the beginning not realizing that she's barely hiding serious mental illness. I also liked how the other characters ignore her individuality (once people realize she's Victor Hugo's daughter that is all they see) which is why no one realizes she has serious problems before it gets out of hand. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/25/25 Full Review Isaiah Y Isabelle Adjani’s greatest performance Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/25 Full Review Kellie G What looks like a silly obsession is actually mental illness. It becomes more tragic as it unfolds. Isabelle Adjani gives one of the top tier performances among best actress nominations. She is actually even more impressive as Adele’s condition deteriorates . Good costumes and set designs aside it’s Adjani’s performance to watch for but not a film I cared about enough. Still it’s worth a one time watch for the central performance. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/24/24 Full Review rohit m This movie is big let down for me , there was no acting at all by the actress all she was doing in this whole movie was showing off how much pretty face she has , she manipulated people very well , no emotions at all just showing of how much pretty eyes she has . worst acting by isabelle adjani director should have focused on her acting plot was good accept actress ... Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I saw this at its US debut at Lincoln Center. Adjani was new and took me and the audience into a soul full of passion. Brilliant. How she lived the suffering Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Story of Adele H

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Cast & Crew

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François Truffaut

Director

Isabelle Adjani

Adèle Hugo

Bruce Robinson

Lt Albert Pinson

Sylvia Marriott

Mrs. Saunders

Reuben Dorey

Mr. Saunders

Joseph Blatchley

Mr. Whistler
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The Story of Adele H

The Story of Adele H (1975) The Story of Adele H (1975) The Story of Adele H (1975) The Story of Adele H (1975) The Story of Adele H (1975) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Adèle Hugo (Isabelle Adjani), daughter of renowned French writer Victor Hugo, falls in love with British soldier Albert Pinson (Bruce Robinson) while living in exile off the coast of England. Though he spurns her affections, she follows him to Nova Scotia and takes on the alias of Adèle Lewly. Albert continues to reject her, but she remains obsessive in her quest to win him over. When Albert is stationed in the West Indies, Adèle once again trails him, furthering her downward spiral.
Director
François Truffaut
Producer
Marcel Berbert
Distributor
Hemdale Film Distribution
Production Co
Les Producteurs Associés
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 8, 1975, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 23, 2017
Runtime
1h 37m