France,
1971, 92 min
Directed by:
Walerian BorowczykScreenplay:
Walerian BorowczykCinematography:
Guy DurbanCast:
Michel Simon, Georges Wilson, Ligia Borowczyk, Jacques Perrin, Lawrence Trimble, Roberto, Denise Péronne, Michel Delahaye, Jean Gras, Micheline Rolla (more)Plots(1)
The 19th-century play Mazepa but relocated to 13th-century France, Blanche tells the story of the beautiful young wife (Ligia Branice) of a nobleman many decades older (French acting legend Michel Simon). As innocent as her name suggests, Blanche becomes the unwilling centre of attention in a power struggle between her husband, the visiting King and his page, the latter a notorious womaniser. Its unique visual style resembles a medieval fresco, and its period-instruments soundtrack, adapting the ancient ‘Carmina Burana’ song book, was years ahead of its time. (Arrow Academy)
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