The Truth
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Henri-georges Clouzot
Brigitte Bardot
Charles Vanel
Paul Meurisse
Sami Frey
Marie-josé Nat
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Dominique Marceau is a young Frenchwoman on trial for the slaying of her lover. The prosecuting attorney, Eparvier, claims it was an act of premeditated murder that warrants the death penalty. The defense attorney, Guérin, maintains that it was an act of passion and not punishable by death. As the trial progresses and the various testimonies of the witnesses are heard, the tragic story unfolds. For almost a year, Dominique has been living a wanton, bohemian life on the Paris Left Bank. One day she seduces Gilbert, a serious music student and the boyfriend of her sister Annie. Though he falls passionately in love with Dominique, she continues to have fleeting affairs with other men. Eventually her behavior so angers the jealous Gilbert that their affair ends in a violent quarrel. As the months pass, Dominique is reduced to prostitution while Gilbert becomes a well-known symphony conductor. When Dominique learns that Gilbert and Annie are officially engaged, she realizes that despite the quarrels, he was the only man she ever really loved. She rushes to his apartment and spends the night with him. In the morning, however, he throws her out and calls her a slut. Determined to prove her love, Dominique decides to commit suicide in his presence; but when he brutally insults her, she fires six bullets into his body. She then attempts suicide but is found and rescued by the police. When all the testimony has been submitted, Dominique realizes that because of her sordid life the jury is unconvinced that her love for Gilbert was real. As her fate is being pondered, she returns to her prison cell and slashes her wrists with a piece of broken mirror.
Director
Henri-georges Clouzot
Cast
Brigitte Bardot
Charles Vanel
Paul Meurisse
Sami Frey
Marie-josé Nat
Louis Seigner
Jacqueline Porel
Jean-louis Reynold
André Oumansky
Christian Lude
Suzy Willy
Barbara Somers
René Blancard
Fernand Ledoux
Louis Arbessier
Crew
Jean André
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Henri-georges Clouzot
Véra Clouzot
Roger Debelmas
Simone Drieu
Jérôme Geronimi
Noelle Gillmor
Albert Jurgenson
Raoul J. Lévy
Simone Marescat
Michèle Perrein
Christiane Rochefort
William R. Sivel
Igor Stravinsky
Armand Thirard
Louis Wipf
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Nominations
Best Foreign Language Film
Quotes
You spent weeks seducing him, didn't you? Weeks!- The Prosecuting Attorney
Objection! What length of time should she have spent? Is there any legal limit on how long a seduction ought to take?- Dominique's Attorney
Trivia
Notes
Opened in Paris in November 1960 as La vérité; running time: 124 min; in Rome in January 1961 as La verità; running time: 110 min. U. S. version includes a 3-min prolog which explains the differences between French and American court procedure. Iéna Production (Raoul Levy) is credited in some sources in place of Han Productions.
Miscellaneous Notes
1960 Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
1960 Golden Globe Award Co-winner for Best Foreign Language Film.
