Christine (1958 film)

Christine is a 1958 French period drama film, based on the 1894 play Liebelei by Arthur Schnitzler. The film was directed by Pierre Gaspard-Huit and the title character was played by Romy Schneider. The cast included Alain Delon as a young lieutenant.

Christine
Original movie poster
Directed byPierre Gaspard-Huit
Written byPierre Gaspard-Huit
Hans Wilhelm
dialogue
Georges Neveux
Based onplay Liebelei (1894)
by Arthur Schnitzler
StarringRomy Schneider
Alain Delon
Micheline Presle
Jean-Claude Brialy
Music byGeorges Auric
Production
company
SpEVA-Films
Play-Art (Paris)
Rizzoli Film (Rome)
Release date
1958
Running time
100 minutes
CountryFrance
Italy
LanguageFrench
Box office2,848,858 admissions (France)[1]

Schnitzler's play had been filmed in 1933 by Max Ophüls as Liebelei, starring Romy Schneider's mother, Magda Schneider.[2]

Synopsis

In 1906 Vienna, a young lieutenant Franz (Alain Delon) has an affair with a married baroness, Lena, but decides to put an end to it when he meets Christine (Romy Schneider), a musician's daughter.

Christine is almost engaged to a composer, Binder. But she falls in love with Franz. Franz breaks it off with Lena but Lena's husband, the Baron Eggesdorf, has discovered about the affair.

While Christine and Franz plan their marriage the Baron challenges Franz to a duel. Franz is killed in the duel. Christine commits suicide.

Cast

Production

Charles Spaak was reported as working on the screenplay.[2]

At the time of filming, Schneider was one of the most popular stars in Europe, having enjoyed success starring in the Sissi film trilogy. Christine was an attempt to duplicate this, being aimed more at the French market.[1]

Delon had only just begun his career when he was cast. He and Schneider began a romantic affair that continued on and off for a number of years.[1]

Reception

The film was the seventeenth most popular film at the French box office in 1958. Before it was The Ten Commandments, Les Misérables, The Cranes Are Flying, Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress, Young Sinners, Mon Oncle, The Young Lions, Girl and the River, The Possessors, The Law Is the Law, Sans famille, The Vikings, In Case of Adversity, Maigret Sets a Trap, The Cat, and The Mirror Has Two Faces.[3]

References
  1. "Christine". Box Office Story.
  2. Howard Thompson (September 14, 1958). "By Way of Report: Mr. Chayefsky's Night – The Heckart Spell". The New York Times. p. X9. Retrieved 4 July 2020. (Section "New French Drama") (subscription required)
  3. "1958 Box Office". Box Office Story. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
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