Writer/director Jean Aurel’s 1968 film tracks the rocky romance between two narcissists completely incapable of real emotions. Loosely updating the 18th-century novel Manon Lescaut, Aurel’s reimagining botches the story but offers sporadically interesting roles for the two photogenic leads, Catherine Deneuve and Sami Frey. Although it’s hard to build any sympathy for either of the characters when they keep self-sabotaging at every turn, the last gasps of the Swinging Sixties and associated fashions make for a visually attractive star vehicle.
Buy Manon 70Deneuve is Manon, a stuck-up pretty girl who jumps from suitor to suitor to satisfy her materialistic desires. Frey plays Des Grieux, a playboy reporter more interested in maxing out his expense account than contributing any meaningful journalism. When the two meet, their inevitable romance leads to jealousy and mind games as they both keep seeing other people while claiming fidelity to each other. Des Grieux’s possessive obsession becomes so intense that he loses his job, instantly dimming his prospects in the eyes of the gold-digging Manon.
With no income and little trust between the two, they somehow arrive at a plan of setting Manon up with a wealthy old American sugar daddy (Robert Webber, 12 Angry Men) to fund their decadent, lazy lifestyle. It’s frankly preposterous that the ultimate control freak Des Grieux somehow reconciles that Manon’s sexual earning power is greater than his need to be her sole lover, and yet Aurel flails through this late-stage development to a wholly unsatisfying conclusion. The stars and fashions are pretty, but Aurel’s unconvincing character and plot development render this a superficial, soulless exercise.
Deneuve is luminous in her early prime, and she knows it, playing up the role of Manon with utter conviction. Frey brings simmering intensity to his role, matching up well with the star. It’s fun to watch them navigate the groovy era, but difficult not to despise both of their characters. Manon and Des Grieux are both terrible people, more concerned with the chase and possession than anything approaching real love. As a result, their romantic shenanigans ring completely hollow, leaving viewers with no incentive to care about the story.
The Blu-ray is presented in 1.66:1 aspect ratio with lossless DTS 2.0 mono sound. The transfer is mostly clear of debris, while colors are fairly subdued, making some of the bolder fashion pieces really pop in comparison. No bonus features are included, aside from a commentary track by two film historians.
