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(aka "La Marquise d'O" or The Marquise of O" )
Already an established filmmaker by the 1976 release of The Marquise of O, an adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist's classic short story, the film stands as Eric Rohmer's "dazzling testament to the civilizing effects of several different arts, witty, joyous and so beautiful to look at" (The New York Times). Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival that year, Rohmer's film is set in 1799 during the Russian invasion of Italy. A young widow, The Marquise (Edith Clever) lives with her parents; her father is the commander of a citadel embroiled in battle. With the fort overrun by Russians, the Marquise is abducted by a group of rowdy soldiers and nearly taken advantage of when the Russian commander Count F (Bruno Ganz) appears as if from nowhere to rescue her. Later, the Marquise realizes she is pregnant, though she cannot decipher how the circumstance came to be. The Marquise's scandalized parents banish her to their country estate, where she pens a letter to the newspaper announcing that she will marry the father, whomever he may be, should he only present himself. Rohmer masterfully adapts von Kleist’s multi-layered story, creating "the aura of a neoclassical dream, a fading vision of the virtue of gentility" (The Chicago Reader). *** The Marquise of O (1976), directed by Éric Rohmer, is a period drama adapted from Heinrich von Kleist’s 1808 novella, set during the Napoleonic Wars. The story follows Giulietta, a virtuous Italian marquise (Edith Clever), who is widowed and living with her family in a northern Italian town. After surviving an assault by Russian soldiers, she is rescued by a charismatic Russian count (Bruno Ganz), who seems honorable but harbors ambiguous intentions. Months later, Giulietta discovers she is pregnant, despite no recollection of intimacy, sparking a scandal that threatens her reputation. As she grapples with shame, family pressure, and the mystery of her condition, the count’s role in her life unravels, leading to a complex exploration of honor, deception, and redemption. Rohmer’s film, shot in German with a painterly aesthetic, uses restrained dialogue and moral ambiguity to probe themes of trust, autonomy, and societal judgment, culminating in an emotionally intricate resolution. |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: May 19th, 1976 - France
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Review: Film Movement Classics - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures: |
Distribution | Film Movement Classics - Region 'A' - Blu-ray | |
Runtime | 1:42:38.735 | |
Video |
1. 33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 32,990,668,686 bytesFeature: 27,774,388,224 bytes Video Bitrate: 32.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate Blu-ray: |
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Audio |
LPCM Audio German 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
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Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Film Movement Classics
1. 33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 32,990,668,686 bytesFeature: 27,774,388,224 bytes Video Bitrate: 32.00 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Archival interview with star Bruno Ganz (2:54) • Archival interview with director Eric Rohmer (2:07) • Trailers (2015 - 1:34 / 4:18)
Essays by film critics David Thomson and Kristen Yoonsoo
Kim
Blu-ray
Release Date: May 27th, 2025 Chapters 12 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
NOTE: We have added 50 more large
resolution Blu-ray captures
(in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.
On their
Blu-ray,
Film Movement Classics uses a linear PCM mono track (16-bit) in the
original German language. The Marquise of O’s soundscape is
minimalist, prioritizing formal German dialogue performed by Schaubühne
theater actors with sparse harpsichord / string music and subtle ambient sounds (e.g., rustling fabrics, battle
noises). The restored mono track ensures that dialogue is crisp and
intelligible, capturing the theatrical cadence of Edith Clever (The
Left-Handed Woman) and Bruno Ganz’s (Downfall,
Knife in the Head,
Wings of Desire,
The American Friend) performances. The music, used sparingly to underscore emotional
moments, is clear with the harpsichord’s delicate tones standing out.
Ambient sounds, such as footsteps or distant gunfire, are subtle but
effective, adding realism without overwhelming the dialogue. English
subtitles, newly translated, are accurate and preserve the literary
nuance of Kleist’s text. The uncompressed mono track is clean with no
noticeable pops or crackles, reflecting a careful restoration. The
soundstage is naturally limited by the mono format, lacking the dynamic
range of modern mixes, but this suits the film’s theatrical aesthetic.
Film Movement Classics offer optional English
subtitles on their Region 'A'
Blu-ray.
The Film Movement Classics
Blu-ray
Éric Rohmer's The Marquise of O...
is a German-language period drama adapted from
Heinrich von Kleist’s
1808 novella. It marks a departure from the director's
contemporary settings, adopting a historical context and German language
(Rohmer’s only non-French-language film), yet retains his signature
focus on ambiguity and introspection. Released in 1976, the film won the
Special Jury Prize at Cannes and was praised for its fidelity to
Kleist’s novella while showcasing Rohmer’s distinctive style. Its
painterly aesthetic and restrained performances align it with European
art cinema, making it a standout in Rohmer’s oeuvre. The Marquise of
O... is a rich tapestry of themes that blend Kleist’s Romantic-era
concerns with Rohmer’s modern sensibilities, creating a layered
exploration of morality, gender, and human nature. Honor, particularly
female honor, is central to the film’s narrative. The final act resolves
the mystery, offering a nuanced conclusion that balances emotional
closure with moral ambiguity. The ending, like Kleist’s, avoids
sentimentality, leaving room for interpretation. The Marquise of O...
adopts a stylized, painterly aesthetic, drawing on 18th-century art
(e.g.,
Watteau,
Fragonard) to evoke the period. Upon release, The
Marquise of O... was lauded for its elegant craftsmanship and
intellectual rigor. The Film Movement Classics Blu-ray
video quality is acceptable, capturing the film’s delicate beauty and
historical ambiance. The restoration highlights the rococo elegance of
the interiors and the stark contrast of the battle sequences, making
Giulietta’s world vivid and immersive. This release is less
comprehensive in its supplements but benefits from a more polished
restoration due to better-preserved source materials despite
digitization woes. This Film Movement
Classics
Blu-ray
is recommended, earning praise for its fidelity to the film’s
vision. Rohmer fans hardly require my endorsement.
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1) Fox / Lorber - Region 1 - NTSC TOP2) Film Movement - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Box Cover |
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Distribution | Film Movement Classics - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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