The Earrings of Madame De... (1953)

Director: Max Ophuls
Stars: Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, Vittorio De Sica
Runtime: 105 minutes

Synopsis: A series of event unfolds when a French aristocrat decides to sell the diamond earrings her husband got her as a wedding gift.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 6/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 8/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: This is going to be a relatively short review. I watched this film as an assignment given to me with the goal to discover and take in the style of Max Ophuls, a German director who made a name for himself from the 1930s until the mid-1950s. A Franco-Italian production, "The Earrings of Madame De..." is one of his most critically acclaimed pictures, as proven by its 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and its 4/4 Rogert Ebert grade. And while there is no denying that the movie is a technical marvel, I wasn't as invested as I wanted to be by the story. I found it to be repetitive and slow paced, and as a result, I found myself checking my watch quite often. However, I'd still recommend it to people interested in French Cinema and its history, but if you don't fall in that category or are looking for a somewhat eventful classic, I'd look elsewhere.  

Final Grade: 7/10