La Peau Douce

Truffaut’s Palme d'Or-nominated account of an ill-starred adulterous affair boasts Hitchcockian precision and pitch-perfect performances.

One of Truffaut’s finest achievements, this chronicles an affair that develops between a meek middle-aged intellectual (Desailly) and a flight attendant (Dorleác): the man is clearly deceiving himself as well as his wife, which allows Truffaut to observe proceedings with a wry irony, as well as compassionate sympathy. Hitchcock’s influence is constantly evident in the precision and pace of Truffaut’s compositions and cutting.