L'histoire d'Adèle H.

Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

This proverb, wrongly misattributed to Euripides, could easily be attributed to the unrequited love.

Francois Truffaut wanted to film the diaries of Adelie Hugo’s  for seven years. He had constantly changed actresses for the main role, until he saw Isabelle Adjani in «La Gifle». The actress was approved despite the fact that a 19-year old Isabelle Adjani would play a 30-year old woman. 

«The Story of Adelie H.» you could name, in analogy with theatre, a one-person film. Despite the fact that other actors also did a good job, the only actor who draws all attention is Isabelle Adjani.

Isabelle Adjani throws herself completely into Adelie Hugo. She shows every aspect of Adelie’s mental disintegration. The director and cinematographer uses many close-ups in order to show Adjani’s face, her superb facial expression, especially at the final scene in Barbados, when grief-stricken Adelie walks down Barbados with a completely blank face.

Francois Truffaut had chosen the perfect metaphor for progressing insanity of Adelie – nearsightedness. At first, Adelie’s eye vision is correct, but as her possession progresses she see less and less in terms of eyesight and sanity.

Another motive of this film is a contrast. Adelie’s descend into madness is shown by her love interest – Lt Pinson – gambler, lecher and womanizer. Lt’s antipode is the bookseller with certain crush on the main heroine shown as a decent man and who could become her husband. Even casting of Isabelle Adjani is, in some aspects, contrast – such beautiful woman is obsessed with such unworthy man.

«The Story of Adelie H.» has a gloomy atmosphere in a complete contrast with optimism of «Day for Night». The grey town,  the constant sleep drowning of Adelie, the eternal darkness of Halifax, the misery and poverty of Barbados – there is no place for poor Adelie into this cruel and wicked world.

Because of this, you do not feel any falsehood during the watch, compared with many other films. You feel sympathy and compassion towards Adelie and while watching the scene when grief-stricken Adjani cries into the carriage your heart would bleed at least. Every person who loved at least once would find something into this film.

Enclosing, I would like to thank Francois Truffaut for opening Isabelle Adjani’s acting genius to the world audience. I think that after «The Story of Adelie H.», Adjani could have retired from acting because this role has already written her name into the history books. Nevertheless, she had continued her brilliant acting career and has only given joy to her fans all over the world (me included). It is a pity that Isabelle Adjani was passed over for Cesar and Oscar in 1976, but her five Cesars, double prize for the best actress at the Cannes and other innumerable awards are already expecting her.

10/10