La Peau douce

Silken Skin

Truffaut’s classic account of an ill-starred adulterous affair boasts Hitchcockian precision and pitch-perfect performances.

  • Director

    François Truffaut

  • With

    Jean Desailly, Françoise Dorléac, Nelly Benedetti, Daniel Ceccaldi

  • France 1964. 113min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

  • English subtitles

One of Truffaut’s finest achievements, this chronicles an affair that develops between a meek middle-aged intellectual (Desailly) and a flight attendant (Dorleác): the man is clearly deceiving himself as well as his wife, which allows Truffaut to observe proceedings with a wry irony, as well as compassionate sympathy. Hitchcock’s influence is constantly evident in the precision and pace of Truffaut’s compositions and cutting.