Francois Truffaut’s “The Story of Adele H” is a film that magically unites Truffaut’s own passions for literature, history, cinema, reckless love and beautiful women — in this case the much-praised 19-year-old Comedie Francaise prodigy, Isabelle Adjani. This was Adjani’s screen debut, but she delivers an astonishing performance as novelist Victor Hugo’s obsessed daughter, Adele — who loves very unwisely and too well.
A period film that quivers with longing under a cool surface, Truffaut’s portrait of unrequited love can transfix you with its oceanic intensity and calm. Harrowingly, we see Adele so madly in love with handsome, unresponsive British Lt. Pinson (played by Bruce Robinson) that she follows him to Nova Scotia, pursues him everywhere and finally descends into deep throes of mad love.
“Adele H” is built on a painful paradox. How can someone as stunningly lovely and incandescent as actress Adjani be rejected by anyone? But by casting a rare beauty as spurned Adele, Truffaut shows us even more painfully the injustice of love, the cruelty of desire, the outsider’s hard fate. The last shots of Adjani’s Adele in this movie — a piteous, ragged, shattered woman haunting the open-air markets, while in memory we see her as the determined young girl embarking on her glorious New World adventure — just crack your heart open.
– “The Story of Adele H” (star) (star) (star) (star) (Francois Truffaut; 1975). 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; 773-871-6604
This week’s other alternative film screenings include:
FRIDAY
– “The Girl With Brains in Her Feet” (star) (star) 1/2 (Roberto Banguera; 1997). A strong and likable coming-of-age drama about a young mixed-race runner, Jacqueline, who faces numerous problems — family, romantic and educational — before her big race. Nothing too daring, but still a lively, compassionate, well-acted film from new director Banguera. 6 p.m., The Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbus Drive at Jackson Boulevard; 312-443-3737
– “Live Flesh” (star) (star) (star) 1/2 (Pedro Almodovar; 1997). Lurid, expert, constantly surprising melodrama about the weird relationship between a crippled cop, his drug dealer wife, and the obsessed young outlaw who shot and paralyzed him. Based on a Ruth Rendell suspense novel; with Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina and Penelope Cruz. (Spanish, subtitled.) 7 and 9 p.m., Doc Films, Max Palevsky Cinema, Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St.; 773-702-8575
– “I.D.” (star) (star) 1/2 (Mweze Ngangura; 1998). Entertaining comedy about a resilient Congolese chief and his cross-cultural adventures searching for his medical student daughter in the Congolese emigre community of modern Belgium. (French and Congolese, subtitled.) 8 p.m., Film Center (also 4 p.m. Saturday; 6 p.m. Sunday)
– “A Chinese Ghost Story” (star) (star) (Andrew Chen, 1997). Tsui (“Peking Opera Blues”) Hark’s cartoon remake of one of his company’s biggest supernatural fantasy hits: a slam-bang tale of monsters, princesses, demons and leaping, flying hero-warriors. Mindful of family audiences, this version revolves around a boy and his dog. (Cantonese, subtitled.) Midnight, Music Box (also midnight Saturday)
SATURDAY
– “Harvey” (star) (star) (star) 1/2 (Henry Koster; 1950). Jimmy Stewart’s signature role as amiably soused Elwood P. Dowd, who navigates his way through a contentious and mercenary world with the aid of his best friend, the invisible 6-foot-3 rabbit Harvey. Adapted by Mary Chase from her play; with Oscar winner Josephine Hull and Cecil Kellaway. 11:30 a.m., Music Box (also 11:30 a.m. Sunday)
– “Drylongso” (star) (star) 1/2 (Cauleen Smith; 1998). An interesting 1999 Sundance film on contemporary African-American themes, focusing on a young female photographer who finds more edification in the Oakland streets than in her classroom, as she records troubling Polaroid images of the young black men in her community. 6 p.m., Film Center
– “Slacker” (star) (star) (star) 1/2 (Richard Linklater; 1991). Linklater’s low-budget Austin, Texas, gem, following one seemingly rootless or drop-out Austinite after another through the lazy, sunny streets. Truly original; one of the best American indies of the ’90s. 7 and 9:15 p.m., Doc Films
– “Living with Pride: Ruth Ellis at 100” (star) (star) (star) (Yvonne Welbon; 1999). Moving documentary about the life, loves and struggle of centenarian and lesbian activist Ellis, who has survived from the 19th century right to the brink of the 21st. Chicago filmmaker Welbon will be present for questions. (Ellis herself may attend as well.) 8 p.m., Film Center (also 4 p.m. Sunday)
– “Singing in the Rain” (star) (star) (star) (star) (Gene Kelly-Stanley Donen; 1952). Almost everyone’s nominee for the best American movie musical of all time. This gracefully satiric backstage look at Hollywood’s shaky transition from golden silents to raucous talkies gives us co-director/choreographer/star Gene Kelly as hoofer turned swashbuckling matinee idol Don Lockwood; Debbie Reynolds as his dream girl Cathy; Donald O’Connor as “Make ‘Em Laugh” buddy Cosmo and Jean Hagen as malevolent triple threat superstar Lina Lamont, who “can sue.” Wittily written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, charmingly scored with producer Arthur Freed’s early ’30s songs. Kelly’s ecstatic routine to the title number, whooshing happily through an early morning L.A. downpour in a frenzy of Reynolds-fueled romantic joy, may be the most exhilarating five minutes on film. 8 p.m., LaSalle Theatre (in the LaSalle Bank), 4901 W. Irving Park Rd.; 312-904-2507
THURSDAY
– “Claude Chabrol, or The Entomologist” (star) (star) 1/2 (Andre Labarthe; 1991). One of the great director interviewees, Chabrol regales fellow French critic-cineaste Labarthe with trenchant ruminations on Renoir, Balzac, movies and morality. 6 p.m., Film Center
Also showing (not reviewed):
– “British Film Institute New Director Shorts” (various directors; 1989-96). Six shorts from the institute’s student program. Included: early works by now established filmmakers Lynne Ramsay, Carine Adler and Richard Kwietniowski (“Love and Death on Long Island”), plus Thomas Napper and Simone Horrocks. Also: Richard Heslop’s dark, 1991 deluge-in-London family comedy “Floating” ((star) (star)). 6 p.m. Tuesday, Film Center
