The Earrings of Madame de… @ Amazon

Max Ophüls‘ penultimate film is perhaps his masterpiece. 1953′s The Earrings of Madame de… has aged well, and its gorgeous, elegant camera work is still a major influence on directors today.

This is a romantic tale of lust, fidelity and intrigue, centered around a pair of earrings which the beautiful Madame Louise (Danielle Darrieux) has pawned to pay a debt. Cornered by her husband, she claims the earrings as stolen, which sets into motion a chain of events that play out in casinos, hotels and ballrooms from Vienna to Constantinople — all sumptuously shot by Ophüls.

In September, The Earrings of Madame de… will be available from the Criterion Collection (#445), and you can preorder it now.

For further reading, here are some extended reviews at Metro Times Detroit, Roger Ebert and Slant Magazine