MovieChat Forums > Le souffle au coeur (1971) Discussion > question about the incest scene

question about the incest scene

posted 19 years ago by yojimboy
41 replies | jump to latest

After hearing this hyped up quite a bit, when I saw the actual film I was left wondering if the print I was watching was censored, or if Malle was just being coy. What I'm referring to was that in the version I saw, the son unsnaps his mother's bra, but doesn't expose her breasts. He then hugs his mother and starts to kiss her on the side of her face or her neck. And then there seems to be a sudden cut and he's lying next to her naked with a sheet over him and they talk about how they will never do it again. I don't have a problem with not showing the actual act, it's just that the cut seemed very abrupt to me, and I just wanted to verify that this is the way the movie actually is and that I didn't view a censored version. Can anyone verify this for me? Thanks, my Oedipals!

[–] ColeBot 19 years ago

I just watch the Criterion Collection version of this, and it was the same. I'm assuming that that is how the scene was meant to be.

[–] yojimboy 19 years ago

Yeah, I rewatched it and it made more sense the second time through. I guess I was expecting the typical Hollywood sex scene, which wouldn't have been appropriate under the circumstances.

[–] Harry_Greb 19 years ago

I have just received a copy of this marvellous film, which brings back so many happy memories for me, from yipeedvd. In spite of what Kanada Red has written on another thread, I wouldn't say the quality was 10/10, as it is rather grainy, especially in the crucial scene; but it will do very well until it gets an official release.

With regard to whether or not the scene has been censored; it is exactly as I remember it from the cinema, and from its showings (three, I believe) on British television. If you want to compare it with your version:

at one hour and 46 minutes, he removes her brassiere, although, tragically, we do not see her breasts;
20 seconds later, they kiss;
at 1.46.45, they hug (at this point, nothing sinister is implied, just affection);
and, at 1.46.54, they kiss more passionately.

At 1.47.08, they reach the point of no return;
at 1.47.22, he begins to thrust himself against her;
four seconds later, he comes;
and, three seconds after that, so does she.

Two seconds later, it cuts to them lying in bed, with he having lost his shirt and she having got dressed, which I have always thought a bit odd.

Incidentally, although Lea Massari may well be the perfect woman (along with Jill Clayburgh, of course), I have always liked Corinne Kersten, who played Daphne and in whose bed Laurent finishes up after his nuit chez mama. What a pity that this was her only film! I never thought much of Jacqueline Chauvaud (Helene) and could not understand why our hero thought so much of her, with those two other magnificent women in the vicinity. However, her filmography is twice as long as Corinne's.

[–] yojimboy 19 years ago

So your opinion is that they don't actually have penetrative intercourse as much as he rubs against her? That's the impression the film seems to give me as well. I suppose that is a safer thing for the film to portray -- no risk of pregnancy, and more innocent of an act.

[–] Harry_Greb 19 years ago

Disappointingly, that may well have been the case, as neither of them seem to remove their lower undergarments, although that would, of course, have made the scene far longer and, possibly, less passionate. On the other hand, Clara does seem to reach a climax, which I don't think a woman would have if someone merely "rubbed up against her", and Laurent seems transfigured by the whole experience to an extent which might indicate that he has gone all the way. He didn't, for example, seem at all changed after his ill-fated night with Frieda, even though he managed to penetrate her.

I imagine that, upon its initial release, the film caused so much outrage in France that Louis Malle couldn't possibly have got into any more hot water, even if he had made it clear that full, unprotected sex had taken place.

When it was first released in England, under the title Dearest Love, the tag-line was;

"A young mother seduces her son - and it's beautiful."

That is an enchanting phrase, isn't it? Even though it is slightly inaccurate, as no-one really "seduces" anybody; it all happens, more or less, by accident.

[–] yojimboy 19 years ago

It's definitely a psychologically rich fantasy terrain for exploration which few have explored due to fear of looking sick or abnormal.

[–] wuttttttttup 18 years ago

i think Harrygreb's posting is entirely misleading. never does the boy thrust against his mother. the only thing that is shown is them passionately hugging, and kind of kissing each other on the head and shoulders. i rewatched this scene after reading Harrygreb's post because i thought maybe i missed the part where they both had orgasms, but neither one of them did. never do they make a noise or look as though they are orgasming. secondly, when the scene cuts, the boy is laying without his shirt on next to his mother, who is now wearing a bathrobe, whereas before she was still halfway wearing her dress and bra. i think it is this key point that is indicative of their incestual act. it is completely implied by her robe that she has gotten nude and then dressed again. and throughout the movie the boy has slept in pajamas (shirt included), so the fact that he is shown here wearing no shirt is also indicative that he has gotten nude. and there is no way that the scene was cut out because i have the criterion collection version and they don't censor anything i'm almost positive.

wildavisproductions.com

[–] jussgee 18 years ago

It's not that serious. she kissed him, hugged him, unsnapped bra, kissed some more, next day she has on robe and he's kinda naked. It's a classic way of implied sex in most movies.(like wutttttttup said).

And then she says she'll never forget what happened but keep secret blah blah blah. It was more than implied. It was talked about the next day. And even if not. Who grinds, kiss, and unsnaps her bra while making out with her son in a dark hotel room. EWWWW that's incest in itself.

I love HP

[–] pulse72 18 years ago

You are all insane.

And yes obviously this movie was cut and edited at that favorite scene of all of yours by the producer or something. "twilight zone intro"

[–] hawaiiroots 18 years ago

Yeah that was disappointing. I rented this movie specifically for the incest scene, and this is what i get? I wanted to at least see her fully naked with her son. Man, that was crap.

[–] PathosRising 18 years ago

Yeah that was disappointing. I rented this movie specifically for the incest scene, and this is what i get? I wanted to at least see her fully naked with her son. Man, that was crap.

EWWWWW. sorry it wasn't porno enough for you.

[–] hawaiiroots 18 years ago

That's alright. There's always stories to refer to. They really let you use your imagination.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] hawaiiroots 18 years ago

Reading this thread, I find it both amusing and very revealing that so many people (males, undoubtably) are interested in thoroughly analyzing the depiction of incest in this film. So many dudes nowadays have to get off on kinky sh!t.

That being said, I am going to rent this movie and hopefully get one good jerk out of it.

I guess that means that you like to get off to kinky sh!t too, huh? Totally cool, but like i said you are going to be disappointed because they didnt show anything worth jerking off to.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] hawaiiroots 18 years ago

Check out this link to one of the other movies.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111252/board/nest/38558414

I used this list to rent most of the recommendations on Netflix, except for the ones involving gay incest or abuse.

"Close My Eyes" with Clive Owen showed alot of skin, but the story wasnt there for me. They just didn't come on to me as brother and sister.

It sucks because the ones I really wanted to see was "Luna" and "Jude", but Netflix doesnt offer it. Those two sounded really hot. But none of the others were really that good. You're better off going to http://www.literotica.com/stories/ and clicking on the link appropriate to the topic at hand, or downloading it from Bearshare or some other program. Enjoy.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] lastmidnite2 17 years ago

God, how I hate when people say "Ewwwww" in a post!

[–] flurng 17 years ago

>When it was first released in England, under the title Dearest Love, the tag-line >was; "A young mother seduces her son - and it's beautiful."

What a great tag line, and so true! When will the rest of the world finally realize what a beautiful, natural thing Mother-Son incest really is?!

[–] loser (348) 6 years ago

Speaking of risk of pregnancy, I think they should have made a sequel where it turns out the mother got pregnant after the incest night.

[–] NickValentino 18 years ago

Odd isn't it that so called normal people find scenes of people being decapitated,disembowled,mutilated,cannibalized,etc more exciting than scenes of two people having sex or at least implied sex.I also think all of you are making more out of this incest scene than there was.BTW incest has been around since the dawn of creation and will continue long after this generation has died and turned into plant food.

[–] hawaiiroots 18 years ago

That and bestiality.

[–] lastmidnite2 17 years ago

literotica has a great incest story board. Will really keep you aroused.

[–] hawaiiroots 17 years ago

I'm right there with you lastmidnite2. Literotica.com has the biggest and best incest story collection I have ever seen. You all should check it out.

[–] lastmidnite2 17 years ago

check under top stories, entries by an author named Farkkus. Especially "Mom's So Hot". Good God, it'll wreck your brain!

[–] lastmidnite2 17 years ago

hey dude, I've had actual experience in this area. If you'd like to talk, even on the phone, let's do it! [email protected]

[–] hawaiiroots 17 years ago

Read the story "A Brother and Sister". It's pretty long, but it is probably the hottest story I have ever read.

[–] Jane_Doe01 17 years ago

Odd isn't it that so called normal people find scenes of people being decapitated,disembowled,mutilated,cannibalized,etc more exciting than scenes of two people having sex or at least implied sex.

Huh? What are you talking about? And how did gratuitous violence become part of the topic?

BTW incest has been around since the dawn of creation and will continue long after this generation has died and turned into plant food.

Wow, alert the feds! The same could be said for murder, rape, pedophilia. btw...are you saying we should accept anything that's been around forever as normal human behavior? Or that we should find them to be "exciting", or what? Again, what the hell are you on about?
This would be a far more pleasant site to peruse if posts were made more often by people who actually had something to say.

[–] Mike024184 11 years ago

hey i live in USA do you know where i can get a copy the murmur of the heart that shows everything or watch online

thaks

[–] zappa333 17 years ago

The sex scene was TERRIBLE. But i am sure it was done to get shown in theatres.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] sarahllsjones 16 years ago

Illusion, I am guessing you watch way too much porn.

[–] grybop 14 years ago

The "incest" scene was quite powerful as it was - I, for one, actually gasped as I was watching it (I didn't know there would be an incest scene in the first place). Now if you're looking for porn, just look elsewhere cos you missed the whole point.

[–] DurakSuka 12 years ago

You're a *beep* idiot.

Hama cheez ba-Beer behtar meshawad!

[–] PsychoDingo 13 years ago

Big spoiler in subject line = not cool

The ironic thing is that coconuts are, in fact, migratory.

[–] yojimboy 13 years ago

Good point. I guess it's too late to change it now, with six years of responses below my original post -- the name of those posts wouldn't change if I changed the subject line.

[–] PsychoDingo 13 years ago

The subject line from the top post is the only one that shows on the main list of board topics. If you were to change it to something like, "** SPOILER ** Question about a sex scene" then people wanting to avoid spoilers would know not to click on the thread, and the six years of replies to your post won't be a problem going forward.

I don't mean to sound overbearing and bossy, but with that being a key plot point, I think others will appreciate not accidentally finding out about it prematurely.

The ironic thing is that coconuts are, in fact, migratory.

[–] KingCobra686 9 years ago

Its a valid question. What the scene shot that way to make it ambiguous what had happened, or did they just keep it light to prevent getting censored? You can really tell how far they went just from the context. Even if the only thing they did was exactly what we saw, thats still taboo enough to warrant the conversation later about keeping it secret.

And to answer your first question, you had the same version that I saw, which I assume is the only version. I dont think that there are any unrated directors cuts floating around with a 20 minute deleted sex scene added in.

[–] yojimboy 9 years ago

ha ha ha... you literally made me laugh out loud with that last sentence! nice

[–] 9 years ago

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