THÉRÈSE Movie Review

Thérèse is based on the true story of the 15-year-old Thérèse Martin (Catherine Mouchet) whose desire to become a Carmelite nun—and whose love for Jesus—bursts through the boundaries of exhilaration and religious exaltation, becoming romantic, obsessive, and, at least in its intensity, implicitly sexual. Thérèse was granted the permission she sought to join the Carmelite order, but she died of tuberculosis at the age of just 24. Later canonized, Thérèse became St. Theresa of Lisieux. Alain Cavalier's remarkable movie achieves an amazing purity of its own; he strips away all unnecessary trappings from the images we see, and uses dramatic and boldly lit chiaroscuro compositions to keep us focused on Thérèse's inner journey. Cavalier is wise enough to not try to explain Thérèse's faith or her rapturous joy in serving her Christ; her commitment speaks for itself. The simplicity and intensity of these stark and beautiful tableaux from Thérèse's short life (including, as I recall, an inexplicably wonderful scene involving a lobster) constitute mysterious and memorable flashes of a human being burning with passion and spiritually insatiable. Thérèse received the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and César awards for Best Picture, Screenplay, Direction, and Cinematography.

NEXT STOP … The Passion of Joan of Arc, Diary of a Country Priest, The Gospel According to St. Matthew

1986 90m/C FR Catherine Mouchet, Aurore Prieto, Sylvie Habault, Ghislaine Mona; D: Alain Cavalier; W: Alain Cavalier; C: Isabelle Dedieu. Cannes Film Festival ‘86: Special Jury Prize; Cesar Awards ‘87: Best Cinematography, Best Director (Cavalier), Best Film, Best Writing. VHS TPV