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I remember seeing Joy House (Les Felins) when I was about fifteen and thinking it was a long and boring affair. Well time changes things and with luck a little sophistication comes with age.
Upon revisiting the film I found it a fun French-New Wave-Gothic-Noir romp along the Riviera at the height of the jet set age. The film is a mystery and my review will leave the plot just that for you (I hate so called reviews that are just a synopsis of a film and nothing else). I will say this much, Joy House is labyrinthine and delicious an well worth a visit down its rabbit hole.
The cinematography in cinemascope black and white is crisp, sharp and glamorous. It shows off the lovely landscapes of the South of France at the same time, the twisted psyches of the three main characters.
Jane Fonda here in her French ingénue period is luscious and interesting. She gives one glimpses of where she is going in the near future as an actress. It is fun to watch her bubble and squeak as the freaky sex kitten Melinda. Alan Delon steams up the scene and the screen as Marc a hustler who gets more than he bargained for. Delon is just so much fun to watch. One of a few French actors of the 60's who translated to American audiences and made a splash in English language films. (This film was shot in English and can be watched in dubbed French as well). Here he is playing a variation on his role in Purple Noon, but that is not a bad thing since his Ripley was so much fun. Then there is Lola Albright as Barbara, a woman with more than just a little secret upstairs in the attic. Here is an actress who has been forgotten for the most part and I myself cannot recall any of her films. But her performance in this glittering soufflé is the nutty center of the film that fascinates. She is hard, sexy, dangerous, and yet as it turns out more vulnerable than her seemingly sweet cousin Melinda.
The whole thing is directed with style and flair by Rene Clement and served up with panache and a wink.
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From the manufacturer
Featuring a scorching love triangle between the iconic Jane Fonda (Klute), sultry Lola Albright (Kid Galahad), and Alain Delon (The Sicilian Clan), Joy House weaves a wicked web of hidden desires and all-too-human corruptions
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Reviews with images
Don't Judge it By its Cover -- my new favorite old film
My new favorite old movie. Don't let the ugly cover fool you--it's a wondrous black and white film with a Hitchcockian vibe and plenty of mystery, action, and humor. Alain Delon is his stunningly beautiful self and turns in a flawless performance, and Jane Fonda is truly fabulous. I got the movie for Mr. Delon, but Fonda's character is what makes the film so fascinating. I've already watched it twice and will watch it a million times more, I have no doubt. I plan to make all my friends and family watch it too. :)
Top reviews from other countries
hebert Peter
alain jane loa and rene
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2023