Les Femmes – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1969
Director: Jean Aurel
Writers: Jean Aurel, Cécil Saint-Laurent
Cast: Brigitte Bardot, Maurice Ronet, Christina Holme, Anny Duperey, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Tanya Lopert

Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Approximate running time: 87 Minutes 24 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"A womanizing novelist (Maurice Ronet, Elevator to the Gallows) is suffering from writer’s block, and hires Clara (Bardot) as his new secretary and erotic muse. As the writer reveals the most intimate details of the women in his life, he finds himself becoming obsessed with the free-spirited sexuality of his new employee." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Les Femmes comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.2 GB

Feature: 26.4 GB

The source is in great shape; it is a marked improvement over Lions Gate’s 2007 DVD release. Image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, compression is very good, and the image retains an organic look. That said, though colors generally look good, there are moments where they do not look right.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. That said, it is limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 59 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critic Manuela Lazic.

Summary:

Les Femmes was directed by Jean Aurel, who’s more known for his work as a screenwriter, notably The Hole, Please Not Now, Love on the Run, The Woman Next Door, and Confidentially Yours.

A womanizing author hires a new secretary who is required to fulfill all of his needs.

From its opening moments, it's clear that Les Femmes is a mess; its hodgepodge narrative is nothing more than a series of fantasy moments from the protagonist's imagination. And though its main hook revolves around the protagonist and his new secretary, their interactions amount to less screen time than the fantasy moments. This is a shame, since the moments with the protagonist and his secretary are the strongest.

Les Femmes is worth checking out because of Brigitte Bardot's (Contempt) performance as the secretary. Les Femmes would be easily forgotten without her. Les Femmes emphasize Brigitte Bardot's sexuality. In one scene, she exposes her naked backside. That said, none of the other cast members leave a lasting impression.

Despite a very effective opening setup, things quickly flounder as the narrative relies too heavily on fantasy sequences that do little to enhance the story unfolding. The vibe and look of these fantasy moments make them feel like they could be a completely different film. That said, the most memorable of the moments is a sequence where the protagonist is having a nightmare. Ultimately, Les Femmes is a hard film to recommend; even diehard Brigitte Bardot will find it difficult to enjoy.

Les Femmes gets a strong audio/video presentation from Kino Lorber, and its main extra is an informative audio commentary track.

Written by Michael Den Boer