Review: 'The Widow Couderc' a Filmic Treasure From the '70s

On Feb. 6, 1934, tens of thousands of right-wing demonstrators took to the streets of Paris and almost succeeded in bringing down the democratic government. Many saw this as the birth of French Fascism.

Pierre Granier-Deferre's "The Widow Couderc" ("Le Veuve Couderc") is set in 1934 in a small village in France, at the exact time when Fascism was bleeding all over Europe.

Released in 1970, this exquisite film stars Alain Delon as a young man who drifts into the French countryside and, by chance, meets an older widow, Madame Couderc (Simone Signoret). He helps her carry an incubation machine to her dwelling. She hires him to work on her farm, and the two embark on an affair. Soon enough issues with her greedy and resentful in-laws rear their ugly heads. And Jean succumbs to his lust for the widow's young niece, Félicie (Ottavia Piccolo). Meanwhile Jean's past catches up to him in dramatic and, ultimately, tragic ways.

Adapted from the novel by Georges Simenon, with a screenplay by Granier-Deferre and Pascal Jardin, "The Widow Couderc" is a stirring, slow-percolating picture boasting two terrific lead performances. Delon is deliciously mysterious and remarkably understated and Signoret is a woman bursting with anger, pent up sexual energy, bravery, and grace. She adds so much nuance to an already well-written role.

Signoret's character was a teen servant, raped by her boss and then forced into a life where she had no choices of her own. Now, world-weary, she hasn't much to lose. We see and feel all of this on the actor's face.

The film depicts how small-minded, poor folks can succumb to the insidious, yet alluring, forces of fascism by allowing their petty jealousies and greed to take over. The Widow was always seen as an outsider to her sister-in-law, so it's easy to want her removed from the equation. Magnified and exploited, that's exactly how the Nazis came to power. More recent, and closer to home, parallels can also be made.

The 4K restoration visual transfer (from the original camera negative) looks smashing, and captures the melancholy and bittersweet mood of the movie nicely. The DTS-HD Master 2.0 Track sound is crisp and clear, and allowed me to be swept away by Philipe Sarde's gorgeous and sweeping score.

Keen audio commentary is provided by entertainment journalist and author Bryan Reesman, who goes into great Delon-Signoret career detail. He also makes adaptation comparisons with the novel.

"The Widow Couderc" is one of the many fairly-unknown, little seen filmic treasures from the '70s that, thanks to Kino Lorber, can now experience the renaissance it deserves.

DVD Extras Include: