Jeff Galipeaux Interview of Jeanne Moreau for Salon.com

Alright...I found this article under my bed. It was one that I had printed out from Salon.com while researching about Jeanne Moreau a couple of years back:

Unavailable for years, Joseph Losey's "Eva" is a famously butchered film. Originally 155 minutes long, it was chopped down to 103 minutes by the producers. The Kino DVD contains a bonus Swedish cut of the film that runs 112 minutes, but the odds of a full version ever reemerging seem dim. And that's a shame, considering "Eva" contains Moreau's riskiest performance. Eva Olivier, as portrayed by Moreau, is probably the best depiction of a case of borderline personality disorder ever put on film. I once watched the movie with a psychiatrist, who was amazed at the intuitive accuracy of Moreau's performance. (I was told Eva would have been diagnosed "a functional schizoid" at the time the film was made.)

"You're fantastic in that film," I said to Moreau when I interviewed her, "even though it doesn't quite hold together as a movie."

"There are scenes missing," she said.

"I've heard that."

"Joe Losey was not able to do his editing."

"The Hakim brothers?" I asked, referring to the film's producers.

"I had to fight with them. I ran after one with a knife," Moreau told me.

"Really?"

"I wanted to open him up."

"I've heard they were really hard to work with."

"He closed a door just in time. Otherwise I would have skinned him," Moreau said as she smiled and lit a cigarette.

Oh, that Jeanne Moreau! Telling her story of chasing one of the brothers with a knife and then, of course, lighting a cigarette. Watch out!

I have now redeemed the film (if only to myself, perhaps--but I won't be seeing it again any time soon...)!

http://archive.salon.com/people/bc/2001/12/06/moreau/index.html

"Eva"

I just finished watching this movie directed by Joseph Losey titled, "Eva." The reason I got it was because of Jeanne Moreau who happens to be one of my favorite actresses.

I really really REALLY did not like the movie.

I thought she did a fine job. It was just rubbing me the wrong way. It was an excruciating hour and 58 minutes to go through, take a few minutes off because I really enjoyed the Italian actress, Virna Lisi. I don't think I've ever seen her in a film before.

But, like the actress in, "The Assasination of Trotsky," (which was also a Losey film) Valentina Cortese, I was taken with Virna.

I will say that the last few moments of the movie were a bit exciting for me. Virna's character, Francesca, commits suicide. Jeanne's character, Eva, continuously slaps the man that is obsessed with her with a riding whip...

The movie was flat for me. The music was getting on my nerves and music in a movie has NEVER done that to me. Not that I can remember, at least...

Currently listening to: In Retrospect