Pierre Clementi, the young gangster obsessed with Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour, is again teamed with her in this comedy - a period romp about a 17 year old virgin in rural France who goes to visit his rich aunt (Michele Morgan) - whose lover is played by Michael Piccoli, another alumni from Belle de Jour.
Many critics said this was like the Albert Finney Tom Jones (and the filmmakers surely saw Smiles of a Summer Night too) but I actually felt it was closer to Dangerous Liasions - The plot isn't the same but the character types feel similar (I'm using the actors in the 1988 film for reference): Michele Morgan as Glenn Close, Piccoli as John Malkovich and Deneuve as a more messed up Michelle Pfeiffer... Clementi's Benjamin is passive a lot of the time, reacting to things, and never being able to go through with sex despite all the maids who appear keen to deflower him. (Seriously it happens about four times.) In the end Deneuve seduces him in order to attract Piccoli.
Michele Morgan is very good as the manipulative, yet sympathetic countess, and Piccoli adds world weary decadence as the aristocrat. Deneuve's part is surprisingly small; she is pretty as usual. Clementi is alright, I guess- far less impressive than in Belle de Jour.
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