The Story of Adele H.

Director: François Truffaut

The Story of Adele H.

L'histoire d'Adèle H.

France, 1975, 96‘

Director: François Truffaut

Cast: Isabelle Adjani (Adèle Hugo), Bruce Robinson (Lt Albert Pinson), Sylvia Marriott (Mrs. Saunders), Joseph Blatchley (Mr. Whistler)

David di Donatello – Best Actress Award (Isabelle Adjani), French Syndicate of Cinema Critics – Best Film; New York Film Critics Circle Awards - Best Actress Award (Isabelle Adjani), Best Script (François Truffaut, Jean Gruault, Suzanne Schiffman); Oscar – Nomination for Best Actress (Isabelle Adjani)

 

Halifax, 1863. A young woman, Miss Lewly, comes to Halifax to search for Lt Pinson, with whom she is madly in love. Actually, she is Adèle Hugo, the second daughter of the great French literary figure and statesman. The Lt Pinson does not answer to her love and makes her understand it is hopeless. But as her obsession grows she keeps chasing and harassing him. This film about passionate yet obsessive love and self-destruction is based upon the real diary of Adèle Hugo.

19 year old Adjani's turn as Victor Hugo’s love-crazed daughter nabbed her the Best Actress prizes from all the major critics’ groups, and she likely didn’t win the Oscar because One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest steamrolled the competition. Truffaut’s study of Adèle is ofttimes almost clinical in nature, but Adjani brings more than enough volcanic passion to the project.