sign in
register
Watch
Criterion Channel Max Amazon Channel Max
+2
The Earrings of Madame de...
The Earrings of Madame de...
JustWatch
Your probable score
?
The Earrings of Madame de...

The Earrings of Madame de...

1953
Romance, Drama
1h 45m
In the Paris of the early 20th century, Louise, wife of a general, sells the earrings her husband gave her: she needs money for a gambling debt... (imdb)

Directed by:

Max Ophüls

Screenwriter:

Marcel Achard, Louise de Vilmorin

Starring:

Mireille Perrey, Danielle Darrieux, Charles Boyer, Vittorio De Sica, Jean Debucourt, Jean Galland, Paul Azaïs, Hubert Noël, Lia Di Leo, Josselin

Genres:

Romance, Drama

AKA:

Madame de...

Countries:

France, Italy

Languages:

French, Turkish
imdb IMDb
Update history
Suggest edit

The Earrings of Madame de...

1953
Romance, Drama
1h 45m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 74.15% from 673 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(679)
Compact view
clear
Compact view
Show
Sort
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 10 Feb 2008
86
84th
A wonderful story with some great performances. The opulent sets are wonderful in setting the scene, but it's the wonderful script that kept my attention all the way to the excellent ending.
Rated 10 Feb 2008
eveeluneveelun
Rated 14 Aug 2007
84
90th
The sweeping and elegant camerawork in this film is fantastic, I can see why Kubrick was so fond of Ophuls.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 04 Apr 2008
85
84th
The camerawork is incredible, full of long, graceful, carefully choreographed tracking shots. The shot of the torn letters turning into snow is genius. And the use of the earrings as a symbol for the various relationships of love and deception among the characters is novel. It's an excellent film, but I'm afraid that it did not connect with me on a gut level. I cannot point to a particular flaw or provide an example of what I would have preferred to see. I simply wasn't swept off my feet by it.
Rated 04 Apr 2008
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 02 Dec 2008
5
91st
One of the most graceful and elegant movies I've ever seen; the entire production drips with style and class. The performances are supremely dignified, the camerawork is outstanding, the set design and costuming are understatedly opulent and gorgeous. The romance is contrived as hell, but amazingly effective.
Rated 02 Dec 2008
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 14 Mar 2010
9
90th
Technically, there's nothing wrong with the film: well crafted and filled with beautiful, and at times ingenious, shots. The story is quite charming (though not as moving as 'Le Plaisir'), yet the juxtaposed symbolism serves as the film's driving force. Love is misleading, artificial, contrived and Ophüls makes an admirable statement on how easily it can vanish. A worthy classic, and a definite must see.
Rated 14 Mar 2010
valenzettiValenzetti
Rated 30 Jan 2011
92
92nd
Really smart. Like watching a master paint: confident and flawless.
Rated 30 Jan 2011
billkerwinbillkerwin
Rated 14 Feb 2010
100
99th
Ophuls camera keeps moving, relentless and breathtaking in its beauty, as life moves these three characters to their heartbreaking destiny, and somehow this movement--despite astonishing coincidences and extraordinary folly--makes the rush toward tragedy seem inevitable. Yes, and beautiful too.
Rated 14 Feb 2010
icarusIcarus
Rated 12 Dec 2008
90
89th
The beautiful camerawork is alone worth the time. Ophuls never fails to dazzle with intricate tracking shots, complex use of space, and capturing the wonderful performances of his three leads. The tragic love story is filled with complicated emotions and reactions, leaving each of the main characters fully formed and thereby interesting to watch. Great film.
Rated 12 Dec 2008
dardandardan
Rated 13 Jun 2016
95
97th
The premise of a general living in obscene wealth, bickling with others over various conventions and meanings tied to earrings, must have made Bunnuel smile, particularly in the beginning, but also Kubrick, who too would later go on to make a similarly inspired Barry Lyndon.
Rated 13 Jun 2016
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 25 Mar 2011
9
93rd
Once it starts it just feels like you are watching something great. I love how it avoids all judgment of every character and lets things unfold as they are. I love how it breaks down the glamor of the rich and reveals all the troubles that are happening under the surface. The leads are all excellent as well. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time.
Rated 25 Mar 2011
nunstranglernunstrangler
Rated 04 Sep 2009
100
95th
Transformed by Ophuls into his most opulent, overwrought masterpiece, the film displays a triumph of form over content.
Rated 04 Sep 2009
djrossdjross
Rated 14 Aug 2007
92
98th
On the differences and consequences of competing world views or, spelled otherwise, philosophies. To this extent, there is room to say something about the relation between this movie and THE THIN RED LINE. Or, for that matter, TRIGGER HAPPY.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
payenspayens
Rated 16 Feb 2013
85
79th
A movie shot with exceptional grace, class and elegance, like the people and the period it portrays. You can see here the influence upon De Sica and his latter (and, in my opinion, even better) "The Leopard". P.S.: the scene where the pieces of Louise's love letter from Donati turn into falling snowflakes is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.
Rated 16 Feb 2013
sybaritesybarite
Rated 13 Oct 2017
100
99th
I first saw this when I was in my early twenties at a little rep theater in Toronto. An elderly man sitting in the seat beside mine quietly started crying towards the end, and somehow we started holding hands. Afterwards, he said his wife had just passed away, and this was her favourite movie.
Rated 13 Oct 2017
sellissellis
Rated 13 Aug 2018
96
98th
Every shot is perfect. Story is tight and lean. Characterization simple but nuanced. Both critical of the bourgeois materialism it portrays while still being enamored with its aesthetic qualities. Beauty is beauty is beauty, and you can say the same for love. I’m perhaps most smitten with the protagonist’s redemptive arc, and bewildered by how much I loved her from the very start. Looking forward to watching more Ophuls
Rated 13 Aug 2018
nobletNoblet
Rated 18 Jul 2011
84
81st
Everything in this film is handled exceptionally well. I just can't say that I really love it.
Rated 18 Jul 2011
nathanbatesNathanBates
Rated 24 Mar 2019
80
78th
Although this starts out seemingly as a comedy, with those earrings being passed back and forth, the movie eventually comes back to a love triangle (after a laborious but beautifully-filmed waltz sequence) among the aristocrats. Most reviewers marvel at the cinematography (I do too), but it's still a little difficult for me to sympathize with the adulterous characters and their predicament.
Rated 24 Mar 2019
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 31 Mar 2013
82
91st
Brilliantly crafted. Ophuls' reputation as a master of the camera is well-deserved. The story is intriguing and the actors are all great. Darrieux in particular is fantastic in the titular role. And I'm a sucker for movies from the perspective of a well-developed female lead. The one knock is that it took a while to suck me in, but I imagine that wouldn't be a problem on a second viewing.
Rated 31 Mar 2013
waddayanutswaddayanuts
Rated 02 Feb 2011
53
7th
As one can expect of Ophüls the camerawork is elegant. But I felt emotionally detached from the film, probably due to the love affair which seemed forced and was hard to believe.
Rated 02 Feb 2011
farzanFarzan
Rated 23 Sep 2009
82
78th
Max Ophuls knows how to work a camera. The tracking shots in this are absolutely amazing. The costumes and sets are great, and characters are extremely charming. Although the plot is extremely linear, it is thoroughly engaging. One weak aspect of the film was the romance, I found it to be extremely mushy, but the conclusion really makes up for it.
Rated 23 Sep 2009
yiannosYiannos
Rated 30 Jul 2017
83
95th
Ophuls was a film maker of such tremendous skill that his prodigious storytelling gifts are frequently overlooked. His much lauded tracking shots demonstrate his complete mastery of movement, but they aren't simply virtuosic displays of pure technique. The ballroom sequences, for example, are masterclasses in how to develop narrative, theme and character in both subtle and obvious ways. In Madame De, opulence leads to imprisonment, and Darrieux is unforgettable as Louise. Beautiful and tragic.
Rated 30 Jul 2017
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 24 May 2009
73
83rd
Good Movie
Rated 24 May 2009
eggbeatereggbeater
Rated 17 Mar 2009
100
95th
Captivating classic. A knowing look at the effect of living a shallow, meaningless life. Masterfully acted and directed, with dazzling tracking shots.
Rated 17 Mar 2009
mrcinemaMr.Cinema
Rated 28 Jun 2021
60
38th
Great Decoupage & Cinematography Technique but ....
Rated 28 Jun 2021
90scoffee90sCoffee
Rated 04 May 2018
80
86th
Elegantly melodramatic
Rated 04 May 2018
ottott
Rated 09 Jan 2023
80
78th
girls best friend i mean i'm not so sure
Rated 09 Jan 2023
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 08 Jan 2015
85
59th
Essentially, the best explanation of why money can't buy happiness. The sets, the characters and even Max Ophuls' grandiose camera movements are indicative of a seemingly unattainable amount of opulence. I think the wealth on display in this film has a lot to do with how powerful it ultimately is, as these characters are rich but lose it all.
Rated 08 Jan 2015
bownBown
Rated 04 Jan 2023
77
42nd
One of the most unbelievably sumptuous movies ever made with absolutely perfect camerawork. An interesting romance, although pretty much stayed in one gear which stopped me from getting into it as much (a frequent issue I have with classic French cinema, show some emotion, gosh dangit)
Rated 04 Jan 2023
staryarabbistaryarabbi
Rated 01 Aug 2015
70
56th
The movie tries to give us a sense of the disappearance of the gentry in France. Louise tries to act like the old contesses who could flirt with any man as long as they were gentleman, but her husband is a lord who shows inclinations of transformation to bourgeoisie (he searchs the earrings like mad), and hence he cares for his wife like a bourgeois tradesman cares, i.e. like a product. At the end, earring as a symbol of aristocracy becomes obsolete and is donated to church because it's useless.
Rated 01 Aug 2015
carlosproCarlospro
Rated 30 May 2022
90
97th
que filme gostosinho
Rated 30 May 2022
brrrpbrrrp
Rated 19 Feb 2024
65
51st
Magnificent, and stuffy.
Rated 19 Feb 2024
bartbaardBartbaard
Rated 08 Dec 2019
50
30th
Camera great. Story not so much
Rated 08 Dec 2019
mike365365mike365365
Rated 03 Sep 2021
62
46th
I might have given it a higher score if they had cut out the interminable dance scene.
Rated 03 Sep 2021
honeybHoneyB
Rated 09 Jan 2021
86
89th
How a thing becomes a token.
Rated 09 Jan 2021
jpfergusonJPFerguson
Rated 06 Feb 2021
75
82nd
This is Max Ophuls so it looks superb (opulent is the word) and it is impressively witty despite dealing with grave issues (of the heart, both figurative and literal in this case). There are some genuinely hilarious moments. Oh, and lots of fancy people dancing, which is another Ophuls' trademark. The plot is similarly structured to that of 'La Ronde' but more complex in that it seems to deal with some of the issues to do with exchange systems that fascinated Malinowski about the Kula Ring.
Rated 06 Feb 2021
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 20 Oct 2018
3
45th
How a little white lie can snowball into a carousel of deception and unhappiness. It is supremely elegant, and there's nothing particularly wrong with it, but all the same I find it a little underwhelming next to its sterling reputation.
Rated 20 Oct 2018
hadleyreisHadleyreis
Rated 12 Oct 2020
87
90th
If they were as dizzy in love as I was watching their dancing, fair fucking play to them.
Rated 12 Oct 2020
peyrinpeyrin
Rated 21 Nov 2018
80
81st
A masterclass in camerawork, ducking in and out of the ornate sets much like the earrings central to the story. The shot that sweeps through the ballroom following the two lovers' dances across three balls and the shot that tracks shreds of paper as they get tossed out of a railway car and eventually fade into a snowy landscape are just spectacular.
Rated 21 Nov 2018
psimpsim
Rated 17 Apr 2023
63
15th
Not quite the laugh riot that I was promised.
Rated 17 Apr 2023
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 10 Jun 2022
90
93rd
A nearly flawless movie. Outstanding acting by all the leads, inventive filmmaking (the continuous dance that takes place over a long time period brings to mind the famous breakfast montage in Citizen Kane), and an almost too cute but not quite framing around the earrings. A masterpiece that I might raise my rating on the more I think about it.
Rated 10 Jun 2022
napolenbradynapolenbrady
Rated 12 Mar 2019
89
69th
88.50
Rated 12 Mar 2019
dmcrimsonDMCrimson
Rated 10 Apr 2010
82
74th
Good direction but I didn't really care for the story.
Rated 10 Apr 2010
theyshoot07theyshoot07
Rated 01 Mar 2008
96
93rd
# 73
Rated 01 Mar 2008
jeffvjeff_v
Rated 21 Feb 2010
84
95th
The philosophy of life as movement is given its greatest cinematic rendering in Max Ophuls' tragedy of a woman who values love over honour.
Rated 21 Feb 2010
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 18 Oct 2017
93
94th
An opulent, feverish fable of the price of deception, with camerawork to match.
Rated 18 Oct 2017
theyshootpicTheyshootpic
Rated 17 Apr 2007
93
94th
# 68
Rated 17 Apr 2007
sebbysebby
Rated 30 Sep 2011
75
83rd
Technically amazing, but I've seen one too many French films at this point centered around the fissures of the rich.
Rated 30 Sep 2011
cat9mancat9man
Rated 05 Mar 2011
75
44th
Great directing but little feelings for the wife
Rated 05 Mar 2011
shellishShellish
Rated 07 Oct 2013
80
76th
An extravagant little romance.
Rated 07 Oct 2013
tonydaltonydal
Rated 14 Dec 2010
75
57th
Great camera movement and cool compressed-time montages (Ophuls really keeps things hopping)...but I guess I found the story itself a little artificial. Unfortunately, the film itself becomes a bit of a Doll's House.
Rated 14 Dec 2010
le_mamile mami
Rated 05 Aug 2017
75
73rd
Excellent analysis of a character transformation. The scenes created in a way that you see the big transformation of Madame de... Also scenes were very beautiful, especially dance scenes. Camera were working more than decent.
Rated 05 Aug 2017
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 27 Feb 2016
17
93rd
Star Rating: ★★★★1/2
Rated 27 Feb 2016
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 26 Oct 2014
5
70th
TSPDT #121. the way the earrings are passed through many hands, manipulate various relationships and become a symbol of different meanings for different people is well-handled and interesting. though i have to admit i can't detect much of the rich subtext that many others have discovered beneath its magnificent surface, and this sort of upper-class love triangle is never going to ensnare my attention on its own. but yes. it is beautifully designed and intriguing to follow.
Rated 26 Oct 2014
chemical404chemical404
Rated 26 Apr 2009
80
95th
I'll just repeat what everyone is saying - those perfect tracking shots alone make the film a must see. My personal experience also is that this is the film that proves to me that period pieces mustn't suck. I was amazed at how this film manages to use seemingly trivial details and manages to make them spectacular without really going deeper into characters or story.
Rated 26 Apr 2009
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 24 Jul 2009
73
79th
Often confused me, but I guess it should since the title character is so fickle. While I can't see why Andrew Sarris called this the best film of all time, it is truly a deserving entry in Ophüls' legacy, and it's full of his famous, visually arresting tracking shots. I actually found Charles Boyer tolerable in this one - he normally annoys the hell out of me. And De Sica, who I don't like as a director.
Rated 24 Jul 2009
jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 08 Dec 2015
60
58th
This didn't grab me as much as Lola Montes did (probably because it lacks that film's dazzling technicolor spectacle) but it's still charming and elegant and beautifully shot of course (Ophuls' characters say "ravishing" a lot and they could easily be alluding to their surroundings). In both films the characters and their drama can almost get lost within all the opulent set design, but in Lola Montes this at least felt thematically appropriate (playing into history as theatrical performance).
Rated 08 Dec 2015
theyshoot11theyshoot11
Rated 30 Nov 2011
96
92nd
#85
Rated 30 Nov 2011
cclzaCCLZA
Rated 30 Aug 2012
95
98th
Ophüls' mastery of everything is in full display. The tone here has a dreamlike quality, and the lines are delivered like a beautiful rhyme.
Rated 30 Aug 2012
theyshoot08theyshoot08
Rated 19 Dec 2008
96
92nd
78
Rated 19 Dec 2008
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 14 Jul 2012
83
70th
Sublime design and direction by Ophuls, and a trio of terrific performances at the forefront, can't obscure the basic superficiality (and pretentiousness) of the story and screenplay, which means the film often feels like a beautifully produced and superbly performed soap opera, replete with farcical coincidences, and outlandish, hysterical over-emoting. Boyer plays the role of venal hypocrite to perfection, and the film drips with style, and at times staggering set design.
Rated 14 Jul 2012
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 13 Nov 2013
95
88th
One of those movies from the classic era that is so smooth, so ironed out. Nothing out of place, everything part of a cohesive unity.
Rated 13 Nov 2013
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 17 Jun 2014
85
75th
Elegant and distancing, but an excellently crafted film. It's difficult to pinpoint why it didn't entirely suck me in, and PT Anderson almost had me on his side with his short talk on the DVD about it, but I didn't entirely connect. It may be one of those films that gets better in memory the longer it settles.
Rated 17 Jun 2014
schnofelschnofel
Rated 26 Jun 2015
33
16th
Aristocrats having balls, the camera going round and round, swooning, intrigues, gentlemanly pistol duels. To me this is as stuffy as your grandma's perfume.
Rated 26 Jun 2015
cerebrusCerebrus
Rated 02 Apr 2008
90
93rd
I think I'm in love with this movie.
Rated 02 Apr 2008
hulothulot
Rated 08 Feb 2012
80
81st
watched: 2012, 2024
Rated 08 Feb 2012
caimancaiman
Rated 20 Apr 2013
79
59th
I like the concept of a memento taking on various meanings depending on who's associated with it. The intelligent script and great performances help sell this idea (I especially like De Sica). And I absolutely love the gorgeous cinematography - Ophuls has the ability to shoot every scene in the most visually satisfying way possible. With all that said, the movie didn't entirely grab me, at least not the way Letter From an Unknown Woman did. But regardless, there's lots here for me to like.
Rated 20 Apr 2013
theyshoot10theyshoot10
Rated 13 Jan 2010
96
92nd
78
Rated 13 Jan 2010
stainStain
Rated 11 Nov 2007
90
86th
Max Ophuls is Da Man
Rated 11 Nov 2007

Collections

Loading ...

Similar Titles

Loading ...

Statistics

Loading ...

Trailer

Loading ...