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Murmur of the Heart

Murmur of the Heart (Le Souffle au cœur)

Movie · 1971 · 3 people

Counted among Louis Malle's best-known films, the semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy-drama Murmur of the Heart (French: Le Souffle au cœur) was written, produced and directed by Malle himself. The 1971 French-Italian-German production played at that year's Cannes Film Festival and did well at the French box office; in the United States it drew positive reviews and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

The story unfolds in 1950s Dijon, after the Second World War. Young Laurent Chevalier (Benoît Ferreux) lives between his conservative father Charles (Daniel Gélin) and his relaxed, open-minded Italian-born mother Clara (Lea Massari). Laurent and his two brothers often sneak into bars to drink, and the brothers try to arrange a first sexual experience for him. Then Laurent is diagnosed with a heart rhythm problem; his mother stays by him during treatment and the two begin spending far more time together. Clara has a relationship with another man, but nothing is what it seems. Michael Lonsdale is Father Henri.

Because it touches on incest, the film is counted among Malle's most controversial, yet it is now regarded as a classic of French cinema. Ricardo Aronovich was the cinematographer, and the soundtrack uses jazz by Sidney Bechet and Charlie Parker.

DirectorLouis Malle

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Cast

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Michael Lonsdale Michael Lonsdale Actor · died at 89 Jacques Sereys Actor · died at 94 Michel Charrel Michel Charrel Film actor · died at 89

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Through different eyes

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Louis Malle's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story stands out for the delicate balance it keeps while approaching a controversial theme. It sets up everyday moments in 1950s Dijon, a teenager sneaking into bars and squabbling with his brothers, in a light comic register, then uses the heart condition to move the mother-son relationship into far more fragile territory. Lea Massari's Clara is the centre that carries the film's moral ambiguity. Ricardo Aronovich's cinematography and the Sidney Bechet and Charlie Parker jazz recordings give the period a lived-in texture. The screenplay's Oscar nomination is no surprise, but because the film deliberately keeps its tone on an uncomfortable edge, not every viewer will find that ambiguity easy to accept.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

This is not a film for family viewing. A teenage boy drinks, his brothers try to arrange his first sexual experience, and the film touches on incest. It is considered a classic today, but I would not suggest watching it with children or even teenagers. Adults should watch it among themselves, knowing what it is about. It suits grown-ups curious about film history.

Yeşilçam Nostalgic A viewer raised on the classics, looking for warm storytelling and strong acting.

For an eye raised on the classics, this Louis Malle film shows the bold yet graceful face of European cinema. Set in 1950s Dijon, the story conveys the warmth and the stifling air of a family home at the same time. The jazz of Sidney Bechet and Charlie Parker lends the scenes a nostalgic melancholy; few films choose their music this well. Still, my heart leans towards stories with a clearer moral compass, and the controversial theme the film touches on makes me want to keep my distance. It is masterly work, but not the kind I could recommend to everyone with an easy mind.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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