Film Reviews

Gabrielle

• Director: Patrice Chereau.
• Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Rinaldo Rocco, Pascal Greggory, Claudia Coli.
• Details: France / Germany / Italy / 90mins (15).

PREVIEW

Adapted from Jospeh Conrad's novel The Return and set during the turn of the century, Gabrielle tells the story of Gabrielle Hervey (Huppert), the unhappy wife of fat cat Jean (Greggory).Having had enough of his boorish ways, Gabrielle writes Jean a 'dear John' letter and leaves. However, she has a change of heart, but when she returns she finds that Jean has already read the letter and heartbreak ensues. With no preview available, it's hard to know what Gabrielle will turn out like. But with such talent like Chereau (Son Frere, Intimacy) and with Isabelle Huppert, who boasts a commanding screen presence on a par with French cinema's first lady Catherine Deneuve, in the leading role, how can it fail? Shooting the film in stark black and white, Chereau's (judging from the clips) patient direction has really paid tribute to the tone of Conrad's dense novel of the wrong side of love. Nothing much happens in the film, as it's basically a prolonged argument between husband and wife - like a Wedding Present song in slow motion - but of you're in the mood for a realistic barney, Gabrielle is one for you.

Review by Gavin Burke