La Truite (The Trout)

Often called the most "European" of American filmmakers, Joseph Losey's emotionally complex dramas were far more honest about the foibles of human behavior than those of his contemporaries, and his French-language La Truite is no exception, casting humanity in a rather unflattering light. In this case, the unbecoming qualities belong to Frederique (Isabelle Huppert), the manipulative daughter of a trout-farmer who learned as a teenager that she could use her teasing sexuality to get anything she wanted from men. Employing a past-and-present flashback structure, Losey dramatizes her rise up the social ladder as she marries a disinterested gay husband, lures the attention of two successful businessmen, and seeks "satori" ("the world of ecstasy") while accompanying one of the men on a business trip to Japan. Well-acted and featuring elegant cinematography by Henri Alekan (who would later film Wim Wenders' classic Wings of Desire), La Truite is a slow but involving film that will nevertheless be of limited appeal. Boasting a beautiful new digital transfer and a spartan set of extras--filmographies and a brief essay--this is a strong optional purchase. (J. Shannon)