Manèges
Encyclopedia
Manèges is a French film directed by Yves Allégret
and released in 1950
. The film stars Simone Signoret
(married at the time to Allégret, although the marriage came to an end soon after), Bernard Blier
and Jane Marken
. It is shot in black-and-white
in film noir
style, with extensive use of flashback
and the voiceover
of characters' unspoken thoughts. Manèges is noted for the exceptionally harsh and cynical manner in which Allégret delineates the characters of his two female leads, and has been accused of being misogynistic
in tone.
The film was released in English-speaking markets under various titles, including The Wanton, The Cheat and The Riding School.
) , a riding school owner, and his wife Dora (Simone Signoret
) have a seemingly happy marriage until Dora is critically injured in a road accident. Robert and Dora's mother (Jane Marken
) rush to the hospital to which she has been taken. Believing she is about to die, Dora spitefully asks her mother – a vulgar, tawdry and heavy-drinking woman – to put Robert in the picture regarding the true nature of the marriage, so that she can die gloating over his distress.
As Dora is taken to the operating theatre, her mother takes vicious pleasure in informing Robert – who has been reflecting with sadness about happy times and the prospect of losing his wife – that the marriage has been a sham from the start. Via a series of flashbacks, it is revealed that Dora is a manipulative
, conniving and amoral gold-digger. Encouraged by her equally unprincipled mother, she set out to snare Robert purely for access to his finances in order that she (and her mother, to whom she has siphoned off significant amounts of money) could live a life of ease and outward respectability. In fact she has always despised Robert, mocking his unsuspicious nature and gullibility while amusing herself with a string of lovers. With the riding school business recently failing, Dora had decided that she had taken Robert for as much as she could, and had been planning to leave him for François, a richer lover who could further her social-climbing ambitions.
News comes through from the operating theatre that Dora will live, but is permanently paralysed. Robert states his intention to abandon her to her fate, leaving the mother alone with the prospect of having to care for her disabled daughter in straitened financial circumstances.
Yves Allégret
Yves Allégret was a French film director in the film noir genre.He is noted as having been the husband of actress Simone Signoret between the years 1944–1949.-Selected filmography:...
and released in 1950
1950 in film
The year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
. The film stars Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
(married at the time to Allégret, although the marriage came to an end soon after), Bernard Blier
Bernard Blier
Bernard Blier was a French character actor. His rotund features and premature baldness allowed him to often play cuckolded husbands in his early career. He proved to be one of France's most versatile and sought-after character actors, performing interchangeably in comedies and dramas...
and Jane Marken
Jane Marken
Jane Marken was a French actress. She was the first wife of the actor Jules Berry....
. It is shot in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
in film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
style, with extensive use of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
and the voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
of characters' unspoken thoughts. Manèges is noted for the exceptionally harsh and cynical manner in which Allégret delineates the characters of his two female leads, and has been accused of being misogynistic
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
in tone.
The film was released in English-speaking markets under various titles, including The Wanton, The Cheat and The Riding School.
Plot
Robert (Bernard BlierBernard Blier
Bernard Blier was a French character actor. His rotund features and premature baldness allowed him to often play cuckolded husbands in his early career. He proved to be one of France's most versatile and sought-after character actors, performing interchangeably in comedies and dramas...
) , a riding school owner, and his wife Dora (Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
) have a seemingly happy marriage until Dora is critically injured in a road accident. Robert and Dora's mother (Jane Marken
Jane Marken
Jane Marken was a French actress. She was the first wife of the actor Jules Berry....
) rush to the hospital to which she has been taken. Believing she is about to die, Dora spitefully asks her mother – a vulgar, tawdry and heavy-drinking woman – to put Robert in the picture regarding the true nature of the marriage, so that she can die gloating over his distress.
As Dora is taken to the operating theatre, her mother takes vicious pleasure in informing Robert – who has been reflecting with sadness about happy times and the prospect of losing his wife – that the marriage has been a sham from the start. Via a series of flashbacks, it is revealed that Dora is a manipulative
Psychological manipulation
Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
, conniving and amoral gold-digger. Encouraged by her equally unprincipled mother, she set out to snare Robert purely for access to his finances in order that she (and her mother, to whom she has siphoned off significant amounts of money) could live a life of ease and outward respectability. In fact she has always despised Robert, mocking his unsuspicious nature and gullibility while amusing herself with a string of lovers. With the riding school business recently failing, Dora had decided that she had taken Robert for as much as she could, and had been planning to leave him for François, a richer lover who could further her social-climbing ambitions.
News comes through from the operating theatre that Dora will live, but is permanently paralysed. Robert states his intention to abandon her to her fate, leaving the mother alone with the prospect of having to care for her disabled daughter in straitened financial circumstances.
Cast
- Simone SignoretSimone SignoretSimone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
as Dora - Bernard BlierBernard BlierBernard Blier was a French character actor. His rotund features and premature baldness allowed him to often play cuckolded husbands in his early career. He proved to be one of France's most versatile and sought-after character actors, performing interchangeably in comedies and dramas...
as Robert - Jane MarkenJane MarkenJane Marken was a French actress. She was the first wife of the actor Jules Berry....
as Dora's mother (unnamed in the film) - Franck Villard as François
- Jacques Baumer as Louis
- Mona Dol as Head Nurse
- Jean Ozenne as Éric
- Gabriel Gobin as Émile