Benjamin (film)
- Michèle Morgan: Countess Gabrielle de Valandry
- Michel Piccoli: Count Philippe de Saint- Germain
- Pierre Clémenti: Benjamin
- Catherine Deneuve: Anne de Clécy
- Francine Bergé: Marion
- Anna Gaël: Célestine
- Catherine Rouvel: Victorine
- Tania Torrens: Madame de Chartres
- Odile Versois: married woman
- Simone Bach: Madame La Tour
- Angelo Bardi: Basile
- André Cellier: Husband
- Lyne Chardonnet: Jacotte
- Madeleine Damien: old lady
- Jacques Fihi: Adrien
- Diane Lepvrier: Lady in Pink
- Magali Louis: Berthe
- Cécile Vassort: Aline
- Jacques Dufilho: Camille
Benjamin - From the diary of a male virgin ( original title: Benjamin ou Les Mémoires d'un puceau ) is a French film comedy starring Michèle Morgan, Michel Piccoli and Catherine Deneuve from the year 1968.
Action
France in the 18th century: The inexperienced 17- year-old Benjamin meets with his tutor Camille in his aunt, the Countess Gabrielle de Valandry castle, a. This had invited their grown up as an orphan nephew to spend her summer. Both the maid and the noble ladies take immediate notice of the handsome man and ask him to initiate him into the mysteries of love. As the staff member Marion Benjamin makes beautiful eyes, Camille comes in between and terminated prematurely, the tête-à- tête. Benjamin then goes into the park and sleeping next to a sculpture of Aphrodite one. The next morning he is awakened by Madame de Chartres, who is doing a trip on horseback. You can climb to Benjamin on the horse and gives him a kiss. Together they ride a bit - until she catches up with Camille and Benjamin brings back to the castle. The Maid Marion, Victorine and prepare Célestine Benjamin then a bath and make sure to wash it. Célestine it falls into the tub and starts to kiss Benjamin. At this moment the countess comes in and stops the play of girls. Benjamin puts himself in a bathrobe on his bed, whereupon he the countess, fascinated, tender caresses of his youth on the chest.
The lover of the Countess, Count Philippe de Saint- Germain, encouraged Benjamin, quickly losing its innocence. At a joint ride the Earl and Benjamin meet Anne de Clécy, a wealthy young lady who lives on the neighboring property. In the evening, the Count and Benjamin ride to the house of a married woman. While the Count seduces the woman to watch Benjamin and make notes in his diary. But even before the act of love is consummated, the husband of the wife comes home. The Count can talk himself out with charm and humor of the situation and will then return with Benjamin to Anne. Through a window, both men arrive in Anne's bedchamber. Anne wanted to go to bed straight. You are Benjamin and Count each a kiss and then calls after her housekeeper, who immediately appears with a gun in the door. Back at the castle of Countess makes the Count Benjamin drunk. The following morning, Benjamin lying naked on his bed. The countess comes in and looks at her nephew. Later they make the Count a trip to the local market. There, Benjamin meets Célestine that leads him into the park and kisses. Victorine bursts, however, between and in turn leads Benjamin in the bedroom of a nearby house. When Benjamin prepares to take off the dress Victorine, Marion opens the door and tells Victorine to meet their service. Benjamin is then willing to share with Marion the bed, but this gives him instead a slap.
At a conference organized by the Countess garden party, represents the count for a young lady. He has always been a womanizer, but it's Anne, who he wants to marry. Anne feels indeed attracted to count and want to marry him, but she would rather lose her virginity to Benjamin. When Anne Count tells her request, it falls upon them, but leaves from her, as she starts to cry. With Benjamin, who has overheard a lady in pink from behind a curtain the conversation, Anne dances then in the park. On a bridge, the Count tries again to convince Anne with kisses of his seductive arts. However, Anne remains steadfast, why the Count takes a twig and she angrily kicks it. During the evening held a firework Célestine Benjamin pulls in a barn. When Victorine joined them and both girls undress Benjamin, a fire breaks out. Meet The guests of the Countess front of the barn and begin to extinguish the fire. Anne and Benjamin draw, meanwhile, in a back bedroom and experience the first time around. After their lovemaking Anne Benjamin's diary finds and asks him to read to her from it. In the morning Anne wrote an entry in Benjamin's diary. Through a window she sees the Count walking around in the park and leaves shortly thereafter the room.
Background
As locations served from mid-June to mid-August 1967, the castle and the castle park in Saint -Brice. In addition to the film music of Jean Wiener compositions by Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Jean -Philippe Rameau are heard in the film. Pierre Clémenti, who played the title role, and Catherine Deneuve were previously together in Luis Buñuel's Belle de Jour - Beauty of the Day ( Belle de jour, 1967) to see.
Benjamin - From the diary of a male Virgo was premiered on January 12, 1968 in France. In Germany, the comedy film was released in theaters on September 13, 1968.
Reviews
For the lexicon of international film Benjamin was - From the diary of a male virgin, a " [ f] rivole Comedy Rococo decoration". However, you lacked " of ironic distance and wit [ ... ] to expose the dubious nature of a purely narcissistic oriented society."
The New Yorker described the film as " delicate masterpiece of sensual physical grace and cultivated freedom of movement '. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun- Times, however, was that the film is " a work of art " is not even from an aesthetic point of view. Also he was " little more than occasionally amusing ". Even Michèle Morgan and Michel Piccolis " engaging ideas " and " the beauty Catherine Deneuve unaffected can not save him ."
Awards
Benjamin - From the diary of a male Virgo was awarded the Louis- Delluc Prize for Best Film, and also received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was defeated Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.