Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)
Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Genre: Drama
Director: Robert Bresson
Starring: Claude Laydu, Jean Riveyre, Andre Guibert
Duration: 110 min.
Rating: 7.5/10

Summary:
A young priest arrives to take over the local parish in a small village in northern France.  Even though he is alienated by the community, and he constantly suffers from a serious stomach ailment, the inexperienced and frail priest tries his best to help the villagers.

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Diary of a Country Priest, the third film directed by Robert Bresson, is based on a novel of the same name written by Georges Bernanos.  Like with his previous films, the story is a simple one, however beyond the surface is a deep exploration into the themes of spirituality, isolation, and dedication.  This also is the first time he uses narration, told mostly by the main character as he writes in his diary. 

Claude Laydu in his first acting role plays the young priest assigned to a small rural village, and his performance is utterly mesmerizing.  Even though the film moves at a glacial pace, the intense cinematography along with Laydu's incredibly tormented expressions and mannerisms which are delivered so naturally, kept me captivated from start to finish.

A very good work but not one for everyone, it is just so very bleak and depressing.

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

Diary of a Country Priest /  Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951)

8 comments:

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks. It was interesting, I think maybe they should have kept that ending, but then the door would be closed to a sequel forever.

Jack L said...

I'm really enjoying this Bresson marathon! Keep up the great work!!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks, I'm having fun going through and watching them in order. I wonder where I got that idea from...

Jack L said...

haha, yeah...going through a directors filmography can be very satisfying, I find it to be anyway. I really should work my way through some of Bressons films sometime.

Adalmin said...

Hola, in response to your question about the Luc Besson script - no I can't verify the source. It comes up a lot on Google so I'm not sure what the original provenance of the script is. Still an interesting read however!

Mette said...

Seems to be one of those good ol' films noirs...

The Angry Vegetarian said...

This is one of those rare films I come across here that I've actually seen. Thanks, again, to the professor/head of the interior design program when I was in college.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

You are the 2nd person now to report seeing a Bresson film in college. I must have taken all the wrong courses, either that or I spent too much time at the pub.

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