The more I watch French cinema, the more I appreciate the way it turns subtlety into an art form. "Diabolique" and "Wages of Fear" pull this off masterfully, and Max Ophuls' "The Earrings of Madame de..." is another great example of taking performances built on undertones and small moments and turning it into a gripping movie. The structure of the film is entrancing, where something as insignificant as a pair of earrings seem to be controlling this story, manipulating each of these characters like a master train conductor trying to orchestrate the biggest accident possible without any other train knowing. The film is elegant, yet is quite possibly the most greedy and selfish movie I've ever seen, creating this seedy undertone to an extravagant time and period that is quite frankly mesmerizing. If you're looking for the best drama that France has to offer, look no further than "The Earrings of Madame de..."
Final Grade: B+
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