Young Monique leaves the preventorium where Doctor Delaunay lovingly treated her. Painful return. Her mother Denise lives with a disreputable hunk, Eugène, who is easily taken care of and, on occasion, would not hesitate to steal. He circles around Monique, excited by her freshness,and every five minutes , tries to have sex with the virtuous young girl.

One does not make movies like this one anymore ,and I'd add fortunately ; after a ridiculous warning which tells us that ,in the end , good people are right , one knows which lies in store:as soon as a character appears , one knows which role he will play in this obsolete melodrama : the mother who thinks she's still attractive, the good doctor who reappears to secure the expected happy end, the selfish greedy hunk, the pure virgin, the good family friend ,the evil genius who urges the hunk to become part of jewellers stealers ,the children who pretend they are cops,all are stereotypes.

Too bad for the cast :they are more estimable than the characters they portray Christian Marquand ( here spellt Marquant ) was a handsome actor and an occasional director -"Candy " starring Burton and Brando ; Isabelle Pia showed she was able to play a much more ambiguous character in Duvivier's "Marianne de ma jeunesse"; and Raymond Bussières was a nice fellow.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

A young girl comes back home and discovers the underworld.

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Impasse des vertus

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