Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Sisters raised in a convent, Justine, naive & virtuous innocent, and Juliette, wholeheartedly prepared for any wiles of carnal desire the world has to offer, are sent out after the loss of their parents and finances run out. While Juliette dives in head first without a second thought into a wicked world, embracing it to the fullest, Justine is almost like a rabbit tossed into a den of lions. Her trust in people leads to being taken advantage of, penniless, destitute, on the run for crimes she didn't commit, and facing perilous situations towards her life and virginity, seemingly always able just to escape by the skin of her teeth through fate and happenstance. Meanwhile, Juliette, commits the very atrocities Justine is accused of, and rises through society living lavishly, but never emotionally fulfilled. All the while the film returns to the Marquis De Sade(..the always powerful Klaus Kinski, showing a very tormented man seething with agony like an imprisoned zoo animal longing to escape his misfortune), behind a jail cell, alone and haunted by his muses, the very creations of Justine and Juliette as their story unfolds.Essentially a series of (mis)adventures as Justine seeks shelter from a world that wants to devour her..nearly every possible sanctuary from harm seems to hold someone(..or multiple someones)with sinister intent. Just when you think Justine might've finally escaped the evils of the world around her, someone hostile spoils her happiness. While one is branded a thief and murderous who is not guilty of the crimes against her, the other does commits these deeds and reaps the benefits substantially..perhaps the Marquis sees the world through a different pair of eyes, as in his story those who take to committing wicked and carnal acts are rewarded while virtue and innocence leads to mistreatment and cruelty. Or, in order to survive in such a harsh and barbarous environment, one must succeed and triumph by being ever more treacherous, sadistic and savage...obviously the examples of Madame Dusbois(Mercedes McCambridge, living it up in her role as one of those devouring lions who poses a major threat to Justine, even after the poor girl helps her escape prison and a certain hanging for a list of deeds committed against mankind)and Juliette work in this line of reasoning's favor. Yet, by the end, Justine is justified for hanging tough and enduring each and every hardship faced along life's way. Juliette sees that the lifestyle she has lived leaves her an empty void yet unfilled despite being where she is, and Justine, having found love through a kind, handsome artist, has come full circle understanding the world for what it is.I think the story of these two sisters is perfect material for a director like Jesús Franco who operates without restraint working with more of a budget. While I believe many will find the film frustrating as Franco uses zoom and often toys with focus(..although, I think it works to great advantage in the opening as we see De Sade moving throughout his jail cell while the characters of Justine and Juliette take shape in his mind while also presenting themselves "in person"), I think this is one of his best films, using the locations at his disposal to full effect, actually having the ability to establish time and place thanks to period costumes and lavish sets. I think many will find his cast rather average to hammy. I relished McCambridge and LOVED how Franco introduces her. The camera moves with her in frame as Dubois exposes the joy of being who she is..through McCambridge we can see that she basks in the lifestyle she has led up until this point, not expecting to die. I thought Dubois was one of the most entertaining characters in the film, far more lively and ferocious than Romina Power as Justine, whose performance never dramatically cuts the mustard(..it almost appears as if she's about to crack a smile, even as her character faces dangerous situations, remaining fresh-faced and bubbly like a school girl). Franco mentions in an interview that he wanted Rosemary Dexter(who plays Juliette's murdering cohort and lover)for the role of Justine, who could display the pleasures that were starting to form through the agonies occurring to her. I think one can see in her opening scene in the Paris brothel that this would've been more ideal casting..just the way she lies in a room presents something unique and interesting. Maria Rohm fits her seductive role as Juliette, this type of casting works because she has the type of look the character needs. I did think Romina Power had this precocious child-like spirit that Franco elicits for the character of Justine, and she certainly is a gorgeous creature, young with a "post-card" beauty which photographs well, but there's not an iota of depth. Franco admits that he often even shot Power's scenes as Justine when she had no idea they were for the movie! Fans of Jack Palance will revel in his deranged portrayal of a "minister", who operates a sect of monks who use females left behind by the world as examples of their doctrines of pleasure through pain..often almost a drunken buffoon spouting gibberish as if he were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, this might also leave some who have seen Palance elsewhere burying their heads in their laps in embarrassment. I'm not sure if this is the user comment to read because I thoroughly enjoyed the film despite it's various weaknesses. Sure, I agree that Franco doesn't tap into the beast as he could(..because it's certain that there's room for some serious exploitation and brutality that goes unfurled), but I found this film stylistically inspired, specifically his use of color, camera-work, and setting. I do wonder what the film could've been if Franco had been able to use his choice for Justine.

Not correct to call Jesus Franco's interpretation of MARQUIS DE SADE: JUSTINE as "drama" or "horror".It is very soft kind of exploitation cinema for easy viewing in the evening.This is not bad kind of movie.Because it's unexpected version of De Sade's world.With some soft humor and romantica.No straight violence and brutality.No much nudity?Fogget it!(so many good another porno-movies at 60-70-th)!There are two alter egos of marquis personality at film.First:Klaus Kinski - suffering convict writer.Happy drunker mad poet(Jack Palance no named De Sade at the movie?-Who cares?!)- second alter ego.Feverish work of cinematographer to memory of surrealistic cinema.This is good trash-film!Don't be boring!

Poor De Sade, persecuted and imprisoned in his lifetime, misrepresented after his death, and unlike one-time-fellow-prisoner Laclos, author of Dangerous Liaisons, is persecuted and tortured on film. Appalling cinematography, grating music, atrocious acting, and a director who praised Palance's what-was-he-thinking turn and despised the very presence of Power as Justine, although she was almost the only one who wasn't mugging in every scene. What was Mercedes McCambridge on? Dear Klaus Kinski, no wonder he spends his time running desperately from one set of bars to the other: "Get me out of this movie! I'm trapped in it forever!" They even removed his vocal cords. Still, a few points for Power's sweet breasts and eyes, and some other brief anatomical contributions by others. Poor Donatien, even Geoffrey Rush assassinated him while he was dead. At least there is Salo.

I like sensual, erotic, titillating films. And while many of the actions and thoughts of the Marquis de Sade cannot be condoned, I find him a very interesting man. So needless to say I was excited about watching this DVD. However, it was so bad I couldn't finish watching. The acting, screenplay, costumes, set design, & cinematography were all terrible. Even the very few sex scenes were uninspiring and not sensual or erotic at all. Half the time I couldn't tell what was going on because of the poor attempt at "artsy" camera work. I don't know how closely this followed the book, but it sure wasn't as sultry or nasty or bad as I would expect from a de Sade story. Because of the subject matter I should have liked this film. I didn't. I loathed it.