The Earrings of Madame de... (1953)

7.9Not Rated105 minDirector: Max Ophüls

1953 film by Max Ophüls

The Earrings of Madame de... (French: Madame de... [madam də]) is a 1953 period romantic drama film directed by Max Ophüls from a screenplay he co-wrote with Marcel Achard and Annette Wademant, and starring Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux and Vittorio De Sica. The story revolves around the extramarital affairs of an aristocratic couple, in which the titular earrings play a central role.

The film was a French and Italian co-production, and based on the 1951 novel Madame de... by Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin. The title reflects the fact that the surname of the main character is never revealed—the few times it might be heard or seen, it is obscured by noise or a camera trick.

Released by Gaumont on September 16, 1953, the film initially received mixed reviews, though it received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design. In the years since, The Earrings of Madame de... has been acclaimed by critics and filmmakers as a masterpiece of 1950s French cinema and one of Ophüls' finest works, with critic Andrew Sarris calling it "the most perfect film ever made".

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Earrings of Madame de... about?
The Earrings of Madame de... (1953) — In the Paris of the late 19th century, Louise, wife of a general, sells the earrings her husband gave her as a wedding gift: she needs money to cover her debts. The general secretly buys the earrings again and gives them to his mistress, Lola, leaving to go to Constantinople. Whe
Is The Earrings of Madame de... based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Earrings of Madame de... scary?
Content rating: Not Rated. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.