The Story of Adèle H

L’ Histoire d’Adèle H

Truffaut’s tale of deranged romantic obsession centres on an extraordinarily intense performance by Isabelle Adjani.

Photograph: Bernard Prim

  • Director

    François Truffaut

  • With

    Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson, Sylvia Marriott

  • France 1975. 96min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

  • English subtitles

Centred on an extraordinary performance by Adjani as Adèle Hugo, daughter of world-famous writer Victor, who leaves Guernsey for Nova Scotia in pursuit of a womanising English soldier (Robinson) she insists loves her, this is a piercing study of obsession. The protagonist, ingeniously deceitful and self-deluding, believes herself a romantic heroine – the filmmakers know otherwise, but convey her predicament with tender compassion.