Les mal partis / Bad Starters
Director: Sébastien Japrisot (as Jean-Baptiste Rossi)
Stars: France Dougnac, Olivier Jallageas, Marie Dubois, Jean Gaven, Mark Lesser, Richard Leduc, Pascale Roberts, Bernard Verley, Yves Dangerfield, Martine Kelly
15-year old schoolboy Denis and the nun Clotilde fall in love with each other. During the war the two of them take shelter at an abandoned farm and live happily together until the locals start to become suspicious.
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In Les Mal Partis (Those who had a bad start) a teenager and a nun fall in love during World War II. Their passion meets with a surprising lack of enthusiasm, understanding and support from her hierarchy and the world in general.
Now, let’s be completely honest : labeling this « nunsploitation » is stretching it a bit and mainly intended to catch your attention. The movie is a compelling, moving and intelligent drama and, although it includes some brief nudity, it has a grand total of zero sex scenes, its purpose being neither to shock nor titillate. Quite the opposite, in fact, of an exploitation movie. But, all the same, it has nuns and I know some of you like that.
The movie was directed by Jean-Baptiste Rossi, a.k.a. Sébastien Japrisot, from one of his novels, which is a guarantee of quality. France Dougnac is great in the main female part, and Olivier Jallageas also gives a fine performance as her young lover. Marie Dubois is a surprising Mother Superior.
France
In French, with Japanese hardsubs