A Woman Is a Woman
A Woman Is a Woman (French: Une femme est une femme) is a 1961 French film directed by Jean-Luc Godard, featuring Anna Karina, Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean-Claude Brialy. It is a tribute to American musical comedy and associated with the French New Wave. It is Godard's third feature film (the release of his second, Le Petit Soldat, was delayed by censorship), and his first in color and Cinemascope.
| A Woman Is a Woman | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Jean-Luc Godard |
| Produced by | Carlo Ponti Georges de Beauregard |
| Written by | Jean-Luc Godard |
| Starring | Jean-Claude Brialy Anna Karina Jean-Paul Belmondo |
| Music by | Michel Legrand |
| Cinematography | Raoul Coutard |
| Edited by | Agnès Guillemot Lila Herman |
Release date | 6 September 1961 |
Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | $160,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | 549,931 admissions (France)[1] $100,665 (US)[2] |
Plot
The film centers on the relationship of exotic dancer Angéla (Karina) and her lover Émile (Brialy). Angéla wants to have a child, but Émile isn't ready. Émile's best friend Alfred (Belmondo) also says he loves Angéla, and keeps up a gentle pursuit. Angéla and Émile argue about the matter; at one point they decide not to speak to each other, so continue their argument by pulling books from the shelf and pointing to the titles. Since Émile stubbornly refuses her request for a child, Angéla finally decides to accept Alfred's plea and sleeps with him. This proves that she will do what she must to have a child. She and Émile finally make up, so he has a chance to become the father. The two have sex, then engage in a bit of wordplay that gives the film its title: an exasperated Émile says "Angéla, tu es infâme" ("Angela, you are horrid"), and she retorts, "Non, je suis une femme" ("No, I am a woman").[3]
Cast
- Anna Karina - Angela Récamier
- Jean-Claude Brialy - Émile
- Jean-Paul Belmondo - Alfred Lubitsch
- Henri Attal - Faux aveugle #2 (uncredited)
- Karyn Balm - (uncredited)
- Dorothée Blank - Prostitute 3 (uncredited)
- Marie Dubois - Angela's friend (uncredited)
- Ernest Menzer - Bar Owner (uncredited)
- Jeanne Moreau - Woman in Bar (herself)
- Nicole Paquin - Suzanne (uncredited)
- Gisèle Sandré - Prostitute 2 (uncredited)
- Marion Sarraut - Prostitute 1 (uncredited)
- Dominique Zardi - Faux aveugle #1 (uncredited)
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, A Woman Is a Woman holds a rating of 82% from 34 reviews.[4]
Awards
- 11th Berlin International Film Festival[5]
- Silver Bear for Best Actress (Karina - won)
- Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize (won)
- Golden Bear (nominated)
References
- Box office information for Jean Paul Belmondo films at Box Office Story
- https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0055572/
- Brody, Richard (2008). Everything Is Cinema: The Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard.
- http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_woman_is_a_woman
- "Berlinale 1961: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
External links
- A Woman Is a Woman on IMDb
- A Woman Is a Woman at AllMovie
- A Woman Is a Woman at Rotten Tomatoes
- A Woman Is a Woman an essay by J. Hoberman at the Criterion Collection