Les Enfants Terribles

Ever since Les Enfants Terribles first appeared in 1950, critics have disagreed over which of its co-creators was the major force behind the film, which is about the strangely close relationship between a brother and sister. The multi-talented Jean Cocteau not only co-wrote the adaptation of his 1929 novel, but he also demanded the casting of his lover Edouard Dermithe as the brother Paul, was an important presence during the shoot, and ended up narrating the picture. On the other hand, even though this was just director Jean-Pierre Melville's second film, he collaborated on the script, and exercised strict control on the set. The question of “authorship” dominates many of the bonus features on this lavish Criterion Collection release, which includes a thoughtful audio commentary by author Gilbert Adair, interviews (with two cast members, the producer, and the assistant director), and a featurette in which several commentators discuss the film while walking through a Cocteau art exhibition. Regardless of how one parses their respective contributions, Melville and Cocteau's film is a remarkable one, sporting an energetic pace that rarely flags, unforgettable imagery, an intoxicating ambience, and a riveting performance by Nicole Stéphane as Paul's sister Elisabeth. Unfortunately, Dermithe is too old for the role (and stiff as well), and the casting of an actress as a handsome young boy in the early sequences is a sad miscalculation. But these are minor drawbacks: Les Enfants Terribles remains a fascinating, visually striking collaboration between two gifted artists, and is presented here in a characteristically beautiful transfer. Also included is a handsome booklet featuring an essay, interviews with Stéphane and Melville, and Cocteau's own drawings from the novel. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)