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La Belle Noiseuse
1991 238 min France, Switzerland 16+
★7.8
Drama
Director: Jacques Rivette
🎭 Based on
«Le Chef-d'œuvre inconnu»
byHonoré de Balzac
Trailers
Description
The former famous painter Frenhofer lives quietly with his wife on a countryside residence in the French Provence. When the young artist Nicolas visits him with his girlfriend Marianne, Frenhofer decides to start again the work on a painting he long ago stopped: La Belle Noiseuse. And he wants Marianne as model.
US Gross:
$403,056
Starring
Michel Piccoli
Actor
Jane Birkin
Actor
Emmanuelle Béart
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 1991
— Grand Jury Prize
Cannes Film Festival 1991
— Ecumenical Jury Prize – Special Mention
César Awards 1992
— Best Picture
César Awards 1992
— Best Actor
César Awards 1992
— Best Actress
César Awards 1992
— Best Supporting Actress
César Awards 1992
— Best Director
Cannes Film Festival 1991
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
La Belle Noiseuse is an immersive, contemplative study of the artistic process that demands patience from its audience. While some viewers find its four-hour runtime and focus on the minutiae of sketching hypnotic and profound, others perceive it as an empty or exhausting experience.
| Acting | Emmanuelle Béart and Michel Piccoli deliver powerful, nuanced performances that anchor the intense psychological power struggle between painter and muse. | |
| Production | The meticulous documentation of the sketching process offers a unique, hypnotic insight into the creative struggle that sustains viewer interest despite the lack of traditional plot. | |
| Direction | Jacques Rivette’s direction eschews conventional drama to create a subtle, transformative atmosphere that relies on gaze and movement rather than dialogue. | |
| Runtime | The four-hour runtime is a polarizing element; for some, it provides a necessary, meditative depth, while for others, it feels like an indulgent and exhausting exercise in minimalism. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on the film's pacing are divided, with some viewers finding the slow, deliberate focus on painting scenes essential to the film's magic, while others feel the repetition leads to a tedious experience. |