Watch The Story of Adele H.

The Story of Adele H. is a dramatic historical film released in 1975, directed and produced by the renowned French filmmaker François Truffaut. The plot revolves around the tragic and obsessive love story of Adele Hugo, daughter of Victor Hugo, arguably France's greatest literary figure of the 19th century. The film takes place in the mid-19th century, at a time when Adele Hugo, played by Isabelle Adjani, is a young woman who is passionately in love with a British soldier named Albert Pinson, played by Bruce Robinson. However, Albert has already broken her heart and left her to marry another woman. Despite this, Adele refuses to let go of her love for him and continues to follow him across continents, from France to Canada, in search of him.

Truffaut tells the story of Adele through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, intertwining dreamy romantic flashbacks with dramatic and tragic confrontations. Adele's father, Victor Hugo, played by Ivan Desny, is one of the main characters in the film, and his support and encouragement to his daughter's relentless pursuit of her love interest become crucial to the story's progression.

Throughout the movie, Adele's mental state deteriorates as her obsession with Albert intensifies. Isabelle Adjani's portrayal of Adele is both beautiful and haunting, as she moves from a doe-eyed romantic to a deranged and delusional character who is lost in her own mind. The film portrays her as a figure of intense sympathy, whose suffering is entirely of her own making.

The Story of Adele H. is a testament to the power of love, and its ability to fuel obsession and tragedy when left unchecked. The film's melancholy tone and powerful performances make it a gripping and moving experience. Aside from the lead performances of Adjani and Robinson, the supporting cast also delivers outstanding performances, notably Sylvia Marriott as Albert's wife, and Joseph Blatchley as a detective who is investigating Adele's behavior.

The movie's cinematography is stunning, with sweeping vistas of the rugged coasts of Canada and picturesque views of the romantic city of Halifax. Visually, the film captures the elegance and grandeur of the 19th Century, with its vintage costumes and detailed period sets.

The Story of Adele H. is a masterful piece of filmmaking that explores the complexities of obsession and the destructive power of love. Despite being more than 40 years old, it still holds up as a classic work of cinema, with its themes and storytelling remaining as relevant as ever. This is undoubtedly one of the most potent portrayals of a tumultuous love affair ever to come out of French cinema.

The Story of Adele H. is a 1975 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2.