la chamade

There is something so coldly chic about French films from the 1960s. La Chamade (1968), starring Catherine Deneuve and Michel Piccoli and directed by Alain Cavalier, is this and more - a story of a woman torn between two lifestyles that are represented by two very different men.. one, a rich, free-thinking businessman in the middle of his life, the other a young and passionate working class writer. Not altogether a love story, more a study of possessorship and the selfishness of lovers, and it's better for it.

At times, the film plays out like an Yves Saint Laurent ad as the label furnished the wardrobe for the film - mod drop waist dresses with short, pleated skirts, turtleneck sweaters with black ribbon hair bows, elegant evening wear with black sequins and long sheer sleeves, and the best - a classic trench coat that gets more screen time than either of the male characters.

More photos here. For those who haven't seen it, I definitely suggest watching this film.. and not just for the clothes or sixties Paris or for Deneuve's beauty, but for the characters and the simple story. It's available on Netflix Instant right now (!).

Happy weekend!