Christine (1958)
Directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit

Film Review

Alain Delon was still a virtual unknown when he was given his first lead role in this film, a faithful adaptation of a popular play by Arthur Schnitzler. He had already appeared in a supporting role in two other films - Yves Allégret's Quand la femme s'en mêle (1957) and Marc Allégret's Sois belle et tais-toi (1958), but it was Christine that gave him his first big break and led René Clément to cast him in the film that brought him international stardom, Plein soleil (1960). It was in this film that he first worked with the Austrian actress Romy Schneider, who was already a star in the German-speaking world through her leading role in the popular Sissi series of films. Fearful of being typecast, Schneider hoped that Christine would allow her to make her name in French cinema and lead to a more interesting variety of screen roles. It was whilst making this film that Delon and Schneider fell in love and began their very public romance, which lasted five years and ended in a broken engagement.

This was one of a series of lavish period pieces that Pierre Gaspard-Huit directed around this time - it was followed by the equally sumptuous Le Capitaine Fracasse (1961) and Shéhérazade (1963). Gaspard-Huit was never the most inspired or original of filmmakers but he had a particular aptitude for getting the best out of his talented performers and delivering a polished production. With its luxurious sets and costumes, Christine exemplifies the best in French period drama of the 1950s and compares favourably with similar, larger budget Hollywood productions of the period. There is a theatricality to the design which, along with the slightly saccharine dialogue and over-signposted ending, somewhat dates the film, although the attention grabbing performances more than compensate for this. The two hyper-photogenic leads are equally delightful to watch but there are also strong contributions from the supporting artistes - Micheline Presle, Fernand Ledoux and Jean-Claude Brialy. Even though Delon and Schneider's off-screen romance didn't last (such things only happen in fairy tales), they remained the best of friends and would appear together on screen in two subsequent high-profile films - Jacques Deray's slick thriller La Piscine (1969) and Joseph Losey's political drama The Assassination of Trotsky (1972).

Film Synopsis

Vienna, 1906.  Franz Lobheiner is a dashing young lieutenant in the Austrian army who has been carrying on a clandestine love affair with the Baroness Lena Eggersdorf without her husband knowing.  Franz has now grown tired of the liaison and wants to end it so that he can devote himself to his new love, Christine Weiring.  An aspiring singer, she is the daughter of a renowned musician of the Viennese opera and is engaged to be married to a man she does not love.  At first, Christine doubts whether Franz's feelings for her are genuine, but in time she comes to love him more than any man she has ever known.  Franz feels the same way towards her, but he is still encumbered with a mistress he cannot rid himself of.  Rather than let her lover go, Lena continues to cling to him and becomes bitter when he finally plucks up the courage to end the affair.  It isn't long before the Baron Eggersdorf hears of his wife's infidelity.  Outraged, he challenges Frantz to a duel...