The Soft Skin
Directed by François Truffaut • 1964 • France
Starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, Nelly Benedetti
François Truffaut followed up the international phenomenon JULES AND JIM with this tense tale of infidelity. The unassuming Jean Desailly is perfectly cast as a celebrated literary scholar, seemingly happily married, who embarks on an affair with a gorgeous stewardess, played by Françoise Dorléac, who is captivated by his charm and reputation. As their romance gets serious, the film grows anxious, leading to a wallop of a conclusion. Truffaut made THE SOFT SKIN at a time when he was immersing himself in the work of Alfred Hitchcock, and that master’s influence can be felt throughout this complex, insightful, and underseen French New Wave treasure.
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The Soft Skin
Directed by François Truffaut • 1964 • France
Starring Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, Nelly BenedettiFrançois Truffaut followed up the international phenomenon JULES AND JIM with this tense tale of infidelity. The unassuming Jean Desailly is perfectly cast as a celebrated literary scholar, ...
Extras
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THE SOFT SKIN Commentary
Recorded in 2000, this audio commentary features screenwriter Jean-Louis Richard and François Truffaut scholar Serge Toubiana.
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The Complexity of Influence
In this video essay, produced in 2014, film critic Kent Jones details how director Alfred Hitchcock influenced François Truffaut’s filmmaking, especially in THE SOFT SKIN.
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Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock
Made by film historian Robert Fischer in 1999, this half-hour documentary tells the story behind director François Truffaut’s famous interview book “Hitchcock,” from Truffaut’s presentation of the idea to filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock in 1962 to the book’s publication four years later.
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Truffaut on THE SOFT SKIN
In this excerpt from a December 1965 episode of the French television program “Cinéastes de notre temps,” director François Truffaut talks about the origins of THE SOFT SKIN, shooting its love scenes, and choreographing its finale.
