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Le Plaisir

Le Plaisir

1952
Comedy, Drama
1h 37m
Three stories about the pleasure. The first one is about a man hiding his age behind a mask to keep going to balls and fancying women - pleasure and youth. Then comes the long tale of Mme Tellier taking her girls (whores) to the country for attending her niece's communion - pleasure and purity. And lastly, Jean the painter falling in love with his model - pleasure and death. (imdb)
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Le Plaisir

1952
Comedy, Drama
1h 37m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 66.29% from 306 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(306)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 14 Mar 2009
93
82nd
Stunning, STUNNING tracking shots with superb art direction to aid them. I thoroughly enjoyed (Maybe even loved) this film, though I couldn't help but feel the last segment was nearly as strong as the first two.
Rated 19 Jun 2009
85
95th
Three good, bittersweet stories adapted from Guy de Maupassant, directed by Max Ophüls with such majesty I couldn't possibly praise him enough. From the astoundingly fluid cinematography, and Oscar-nominated art direction, to the realistic and grabbing dramaturgy, this is a cinematic accomplishment that should not be missed.
Rated 31 Jul 2009
3
38th
A very nice piece of fluff - little dramatic weight here, but it's nevertheless a lot of fun. Three stories (the middle story much longer than the bookends) all related in some way to the film's title (Pleasure) and its rewards and consequences. As you'd expect from Ophuls, it's a gorgeous film to look at - beautifully lit, masterfully shot, et cetera.
Rated 02 Mar 2008
83
72nd
An amusing enjoyable film in three parts, examining different aspects of lustful pleasure. While the film's structure in connecting the three stories is rather weak it does work and the stories hold up on their own as interesting short films. They are related and contrasting the depiction of pleasure in each one makes for some interesting viewing. The camera work and visual design of the film is stunning.
Rated 29 Nov 2010
72
43rd
A simple film that is made very likeable due to Ophüls' delightful direction and the warmth of its characters.
Rated 06 Feb 2015
4
52nd
max ophüls' direction didn't seem to be quite as technically magnificent here - everything else is as you'd expect from him. the sort of director people would describe as 'tasteful', which is obviously far away from what i care about.
Rated 17 Dec 2015
67
66th
As with other Ophuls, it's easier for me to admire this on a formal level than actually connect to it emotionally at all (i found myself much more invested in some parts than others, namely the first and last segments, whereas i found stretches of the longer middle part sort of boring). Still, the technical perfection of it pretty much makes up for any possible deficiency elsewhere. If there's a more beautiful quasi-sex comedy from 1952 i sure haven't seen it.
Rated 30 Mar 2018
75
84th
As with all of Ophuls' key works, it's easy to appreciate the technical wizardry on display if nothing else. His camera moves are never extraneous and always serve the story. It's just a shame that the tales he is telling are not always as interesting as the telling, even if his triptych structure works overall. The main story involving whores in the countryside initiallly seems slight, but it's pure Ophuls, expressing the transient, bittersweet nature of life's pleasures with a delicate touch.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
79
66th
# 416
Rated 21 Dec 2012
2
1st
boring as hell.
Rated 27 Feb 2016
15
81st
Star Rating: ★★★★
Rated 30 Nov 2011
80
60th
#396
Rated 19 Dec 2008
81
62nd
375
Rated 09 Jun 2015
51
39th
Weird how, at minute thirty, this turns from its haunted, mysterious, drunken lyricism into a sort of sunlit farce without any notable stylistic traits. By the time the last quarter comes around you realize that it's actually an anthology of murky moral tales, not the free-flowing Felliniesque dream it starts as.
Rated 20 Dec 2009
9
90th
A delightful adaptation, absorbing and luscious as life itself. The music, narration and dialogue will warm up your heart and sweeten your day. While the last part was the weakest of the three IMO, it didn't diminish the strength of the film. 'Le Plaisir' is one of those enjoyable films where you walk away thinking: "they just don't make 'em like they used to".
Rated 13 Jan 2010
83
66th
339
Rated 10 Apr 2009
25
43rd
Stylish but rather subdued compendium, with no highlights to stay in the memory.
Rated 02 Jan 2009
74
50th
Again, Ophuls proves himself a master at camera movement, with astonishing tracking shots, crane shots, pans and zooms and impeccable lighting and set design. I actually found the bookend stories far more interesting, perhaps because their relatively short length prohibited them from wearing out their welcome. The middle story had some amusing moments but there just wasn't much meat there. As befits the title, the movie is pleasant, just not all that mind-blowing except for the cinematography.
Rated 08 Jun 2018
81
62nd
Elegant camerawork capturing rambling thematic prose, the intent of which seems to be to capture the contradictory nature of man’s pursuit of pleasure. Some segments and individual scenes illustrate this more explicitly than others. A great closing line left a better taste in my mouth than I expected given the emotional detachment I felt from all but the middle segment.
Rated 14 Apr 2020
40
10th
Cynical, degenerate, and pessimistic. (i.e. Maupassant)
Rated 12 Mar 2019
84
23rd
83.50
Rated 07 Jul 2020
80
88th
While all three stories are captivating, it is 'Le Masque' that is the stand out and indeed in and of itself a masterpiece. The other two stories that follow are mostly satisfying explorations of pleasure in its various forms. Rating likely to increase with further viewings.
Rated 05 Jan 2023
65
29th
I don't know why, but this just didn't do anything for me narratively. As always, Ophuls use of the camera and camera movements are great. I don't get how the camera is always in the exact right place for every shot composition even when the camera rotates and moves all over the place. It can move 70 degrees right, 40 degrees up, 90 degrees back to the left, and despite the camera being in the same place all of those shots are perfect. The staging, camerawork, and maybe set design, are amazing.
Rated 31 Oct 2023
70
83rd
fra_eng; [le plaisir]; drei geschichten über das vergnügen von tanz, liebschaften und tragischer liebe - bewegt erzählt.; (schneller film in erzählweise);
Rated 24 Jan 2024
80
68th
I really enjoyed this, although I must confess that the much longer length of the middle section exhausted my interest somewhat and I was far less engaged by the final story. Ophüls' camera just glides through this film ... circling the elaborate dance hall set in the first story and following the prostitutes journey through the countryside in the middle story. I really enjoy his light, very sophisticated and urbane humour.
Rated 20 Jan 2024
70
96th
I'm not Max Ophüls' biggest fan, but his exaggerated, lavish and playful style often get me. He's just too romantic for his own good a lot of the time. I like his more darker side, and we get at least two short stories where that breaks through. The middle and by far the longest one, is him in his usual mood. Happy and carefree, and most important, in-the-moment. Working girls on excursion, having a joyous time and not much more than that. It's a sweet and silly time.

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