The Beauty of the Real

[T]he author identifies in French cinema a far greater fluidity about the portrayal of different phases of a woman's life. . . [I]t is written with infectious enthusiasm, and best enjoyed as a companion to the films it so highly recommends."—Muriel Zagha, Times Literary Supplement "LaSalle understands how women in French movies are allowed to be deeper, older, and more real than most Hollywood characters."—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times "France, a country that is serious about love, has a cinema that adores its women. In this fascinating exploration of contemporary French actresses, Mick LaSalle gives riveting interviews with both headliners and the lesser-known stars and offers astute analysis of how they've evolved in the rich soil of their native cinema. He provides a mouthwatering list of films—mostly unseen in this country. The unfavorable comparison with Hollywood and timid American distributors is inevitable. How can it be, how can we have let this happen? I want to see them all, and LaSalle's compendium is both a splendid reference book and a call to arms."—Molly Haskell, author and critic "Of special note are the profiles of French actresses based upon personal interviews and critiques of their films by LaSalle. Not to be missed are the appendices on 'How to See French Films in the United States'. The Beauty of the Real is a welcome and unique contribution to the growing body of cinematic studies literature."—The Midwest Book Review "Mick LaSalle's informal, lucid prose brings alive the magic of French cinema and its brilliant array of female actors, contrasting them with their American equivalents and, in so doing, revealing the distinctive character of French filmmaking. This book is especially valuable for its first-hand interviews with some of France's greatest screen actresses."—Peter Cowie, Film historian, author, and founding editor of the International Film Guide