The Lovers

The Lovers

Directed by Louis Malle • 1958 • France
Starring Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Marc Bory

Louis Malle unveiled the natural beauty of Jeanne Moreau in his breakthrough, ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. With his follow-up, the scandalous smash THE LOVERS (LES AMANTS), he made her a star once and for all. A deeply felt and luxuriously filmed fairy tale for grown-ups, perched on the edge between classical and New Wave cinemas, THE LOVERS presents Moreau as a restless bourgeois wife whose eye wanders from both her husband and her lover to an attractive passing stranger (Jean-Marc Bory). Thanks to its frank sexuality, THE LOVERS caused quite a stir, being censored and attacked for obscenity around the world. If today its shock has worn off, its glistening sensuality and seductive storytelling haven’t aged a day.

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The Lovers
  • The Lovers

    Directed by Louis Malle • 1958 • France
    Starring Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Marc Bory

    Louis Malle unveiled the natural beauty of Jeanne Moreau in his breakthrough, ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. With his follow-up, the scandalous smash THE LOVERS (LES AMANTS), he made her a star once and for all. A deeply fe...

Extras

  • Louis Malle on THE LOVERS, 1963

    Director Louis Malle had recently completed THE FIRE WITHIN when he was interviewed for “Cinépanorama” about his success with THE LOVERS. That interview, directed by François Chalais and Jean-Pierre Fleury, originally aired on October 19, 1963.

  • Louis Malle, 1994

    On September 22, 1994, just over a year before his death, director Louis Malle was interviewed by journalist Angelika Wittlich at his office in Paris.

  • Jeanne Moreau on THE LOVERS, 1958

    Presented here is an excerpted interview with actor Jeanne Moreau from the news program “Le journal télévisé.” Recorded soon after THE LOVERS won the Special Jury Prize at Venice and presented by journalist and actor Lise Elina, it originally aired on November 4, 1958.

  • Jeanne Moreau on THE LOVERS, 1972

    In this interview, which was directed by Jacques Nahum and Raoul Sangla for “Tête d’affiche” and originally aired on January 30, 1972, actor Jeanne Moreau discusses her “scandalous” roles, beginning with Jeanne in THE LOVERS.

  • José Luis de Villalonga on THE LOVERS

    In the following interview, José Luis de Villalonga, while preparing for his role as Raoul Florès in THE LOVERS, discusses his interest in acting, horses, and political writing. Presented by journalist France Roche and directed by Jean Kerchbron for the series “Cinépanorama,” this segment origina...

  • Louise de Vilmorin on THE LOVERS

    Best known for her novel “Madame de . . . ,” Louise de Vilmorin worked with Louis Malle on the dialogue for THE LOVERS. The following excerpted interview with de Vilmorin, directed by Jacques Nahum for the television series “Démons et merveilles du cinéma,” originally aired on November 20, 1965.