Summary
In the shadow of a crumbling château, Raymond Ferray’s solitary existence fractures when the enigmatic Rovel family relocates to his village, their presence a disruption as jarring as a storm to a still pond. Marquise de Boisgenêt, a relic of aristocratic decadence, pursues a union with the Rovels’ daughter Meg, while Raymond, a man whose aversion to society is as rigid as his posture, becomes an unwitting confidant to the young woman’s desires. Meg’s mother, Lady Rovel, wields manipulation with the precision of a sculptor, her schemes as delicate and deceptive as the lace adorning her gowns. As Raymond navigates this tangle of ambition and resistance, the film unfolds as a psychological duel between those who seek connection and those who flee it. The tension between the characters’ internal monologues and their performative social roles creates a layered narrative that transcends mere melodrama. Victor Cherbuliez’s adaptation is less a romance than a meditation on autonomy, where every glance and gesture carries the weight of unspoken rebellion.
Synopsis
Misanthrope Raymond Ferray's life of peace and quiet is disrupted by the arrival of his new neighbors the Rovels. Lady Rovel designs on marrying her daughter Meg to the much older Marquis de Boisgenêt. Her mother agrees not to force her, however, if she can find a suitable alternative. Raymond, who despite himself has taken a great interest in Miss Rovel, helps her to find one.
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