Marquis de Sade: Justine
Encyclopedia
Marquis de Sade: Justine is a 1969 Italian drama film
, directed by Jesús Franco
and starring Klaus Kinski
. It is based on the novel Justine by Marquis de Sade
.
Justine, a sweet and virtuous girl lives with her sister Juliette in a nunnery. When they learn of their father's death, they are booted out of the nunnery with their father's remaining gold. Juliette takes Justine to a friend, Madame de Buission who could provide accommodation for the two girls. De Buisson turns out to be a brothel
owner and requires the girls to work as prostitutes to pay for the accommodation. Justine refuses and leaves the brothel with her gold while Juliette stays and learns the arts of a prostitute. Justine meets a priest who offers to keep her gold safe and return it at the church the next day, should she reside with Monsieur Du Harpin. Du Harpin does not know the priest however, but agrees to let Justine stay for free if she agrees to serve as a maid.
Justine is spotted by Monsieur Derroches (Du Harpin's master), who takes interest in Justine's beauty and invites her to sleep in his quarters. He forces himself on Justine, who escapes but is instructed by du Harpin to steal Derroches' valuable gold amulet
. The next day, Derroches summons the police, who search the area and find the amulet in Justine's belongings. Justine is taken to prison
where she meets Madame Dusbois, a virago
sentenced for execution the next day. Dusbois, impressed by Justine's innocent looks, implicates her in an escape plan. The next day, Dusbois' accomplices (masquerading as prison guards) start a fire in the prison and Justine screams, causing a commotion in the prison. Using the chaos as cover, Dusbois and Justine escape the prison safely.
Meanwhile, Juliette and a fellow prostitute named Claudine kill Madame de Buisson one of her clients, stealing her gold and making their escape. While hiding out in a forest, Dusbois accepts Justine as part of her group, noting the utility of Justine's innocence. But the male members of the group attempt to rape Justine and end up fighting amongst themselves. Justine uses the distraction to escape. She faints near the house of a painter named Raymond who takes care of her. He offers to let her live with him for free, in exchange for her becoming a model for him to paint. Justine falls in love with Raymond and lives happily with him for a duration. One day, the police arrive at Raymond's while searching for Justine and on Raymond's request, Justine escapes into the woods.
Justine arrives in the premises of the cunning Marquis
de Bressac, who, impressed by Justine's innocent air, gives her refuge and employment. Justine becomes a personal attendant to Marquise
de Bressac, who owns all the de Bressac property. The Marquis asks Justine to kill his wife or be framed for a crime. Justine reveals the plot to the Marquise, but the Marquis knows this secretly. Later, the Marquise attempts to poison her husband, but the latter tricks her into drinking his wine, killing her. To punish Justine, the Marquis brands
the letter 'M' for Murderess on Justine's breast.
Meanwhile, Juliette and Claudine have made great profits from vice and crime. To obtain her share of the fortune, Juliette drowns Claudine while the latter is bathing in a river. Justine meanwhile, arrives at a chateau where four ascetics - Father Antonin and his Order are living a life of meditation and study. Justine asks for sanctuary there and is accepted by the Order. She learns however, the four men are libertine
hedonists
and sexual deviants, whose four other female servants are in fact, sex slaves. Justine ends up chained and tortured in the dungeon. One day, Father Antonin notes how her life of righteousness and virtue has not gifted her pleasure and reward, but instead brought her to endure suffering. He suggests that Justine's sense of pleasure is enduring this suffering, to which Justine agrees. Pleased at having learnt their philosophy so swiftly, Antonin plans to "release" her by killing her in torture during a ritual. The ceremony goes awry, and Justine escapes in the commotion.
Raymond finds Justine unconscious on the road and takes her to a nearby city, where he lets her stay temporarily in an inn. Madame Dusbois, who is serving in the same city with her accomplices as an amusement show host, spies Justine and takes her away to work as a nude show performer. During the show, Justine's brand reveals her to be a murderess and causes an uproar in the venue. As she is being taken away by the police, she is spotted by Juliette, now a mistress of a Minister of the King. Juliette describes her wicked life as empty, and says that Justine will earn her reward for a virtuous life despite her sufferings.
Juliette takes Justine away to live with her in her palace, and Justine is seen walking away peacefully with Raymond.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
, directed by Jesús Franco
Jesús Franco
Jesús "Jess" Franco is a Spanish film director, writer, cinematographer and actor. His career took off in 1961 with his cult classic The Awful Dr. Orloff, which received wide distribution in the United States and England...
and starring Klaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
. It is based on the novel Justine by Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
.
Plot
The film is narrated by Marquis de Sade himself as he is in a prison and hallucinating images of naked, tortured women.Justine, a sweet and virtuous girl lives with her sister Juliette in a nunnery. When they learn of their father's death, they are booted out of the nunnery with their father's remaining gold. Juliette takes Justine to a friend, Madame de Buission who could provide accommodation for the two girls. De Buisson turns out to be a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
owner and requires the girls to work as prostitutes to pay for the accommodation. Justine refuses and leaves the brothel with her gold while Juliette stays and learns the arts of a prostitute. Justine meets a priest who offers to keep her gold safe and return it at the church the next day, should she reside with Monsieur Du Harpin. Du Harpin does not know the priest however, but agrees to let Justine stay for free if she agrees to serve as a maid.
Justine is spotted by Monsieur Derroches (Du Harpin's master), who takes interest in Justine's beauty and invites her to sleep in his quarters. He forces himself on Justine, who escapes but is instructed by du Harpin to steal Derroches' valuable gold amulet
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
. The next day, Derroches summons the police, who search the area and find the amulet in Justine's belongings. Justine is taken to prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
where she meets Madame Dusbois, a virago
Virago
Virago is a term used to describe a woman who demonstrates exemplary and heroic qualities. The word comes from the Latin word vir, meaningvirile 'man,' to which the suffix -ago is added, a suffix that effectively re-genders the word to be female...
sentenced for execution the next day. Dusbois, impressed by Justine's innocent looks, implicates her in an escape plan. The next day, Dusbois' accomplices (masquerading as prison guards) start a fire in the prison and Justine screams, causing a commotion in the prison. Using the chaos as cover, Dusbois and Justine escape the prison safely.
Meanwhile, Juliette and a fellow prostitute named Claudine kill Madame de Buisson one of her clients, stealing her gold and making their escape. While hiding out in a forest, Dusbois accepts Justine as part of her group, noting the utility of Justine's innocence. But the male members of the group attempt to rape Justine and end up fighting amongst themselves. Justine uses the distraction to escape. She faints near the house of a painter named Raymond who takes care of her. He offers to let her live with him for free, in exchange for her becoming a model for him to paint. Justine falls in love with Raymond and lives happily with him for a duration. One day, the police arrive at Raymond's while searching for Justine and on Raymond's request, Justine escapes into the woods.
Justine arrives in the premises of the cunning Marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
de Bressac, who, impressed by Justine's innocent air, gives her refuge and employment. Justine becomes a personal attendant to Marquise
Marquise
A marquise is a French noblewoman ranking above a countess and below a duchess, and is usually the wife of a marquis. The British equivalent is a marchioness and the Spanish equivalent is a marquesa....
de Bressac, who owns all the de Bressac property. The Marquis asks Justine to kill his wife or be framed for a crime. Justine reveals the plot to the Marquise, but the Marquis knows this secretly. Later, the Marquise attempts to poison her husband, but the latter tricks her into drinking his wine, killing her. To punish Justine, the Marquis brands
Human branding
Human branding or stigmatizing is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes it permanent. This is performed using a hot or very cold branding iron...
the letter 'M' for Murderess on Justine's breast.
Meanwhile, Juliette and Claudine have made great profits from vice and crime. To obtain her share of the fortune, Juliette drowns Claudine while the latter is bathing in a river. Justine meanwhile, arrives at a chateau where four ascetics - Father Antonin and his Order are living a life of meditation and study. Justine asks for sanctuary there and is accepted by the Order. She learns however, the four men are libertine
Libertine
A libertine is one devoid of most moral restraints, which are seen as unnecessary or undesirable, especially one who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behavior sanctified by the larger society. Libertines, also known as rakes, placed value on physical pleasures, meaning those...
hedonists
Hedonism
Hedonism is a school of thought which argues that pleasure is the only intrinsic good. In very simple terms, a hedonist strives to maximize net pleasure .-Etymology:The name derives from the Greek word for "delight" ....
and sexual deviants, whose four other female servants are in fact, sex slaves. Justine ends up chained and tortured in the dungeon. One day, Father Antonin notes how her life of righteousness and virtue has not gifted her pleasure and reward, but instead brought her to endure suffering. He suggests that Justine's sense of pleasure is enduring this suffering, to which Justine agrees. Pleased at having learnt their philosophy so swiftly, Antonin plans to "release" her by killing her in torture during a ritual. The ceremony goes awry, and Justine escapes in the commotion.
Raymond finds Justine unconscious on the road and takes her to a nearby city, where he lets her stay temporarily in an inn. Madame Dusbois, who is serving in the same city with her accomplices as an amusement show host, spies Justine and takes her away to work as a nude show performer. During the show, Justine's brand reveals her to be a murderess and causes an uproar in the venue. As she is being taken away by the police, she is spotted by Juliette, now a mistress of a Minister of the King. Juliette describes her wicked life as empty, and says that Justine will earn her reward for a virtuous life despite her sufferings.
Juliette takes Justine away to live with her in her palace, and Justine is seen walking away peacefully with Raymond.
Cast
- Klaus KinskiKlaus KinskiKlaus Kinski, born Klaus Günter Karl Nakszynski , was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films, and is perhaps best-remembered as a leading role actor in Werner Herzog films: Aguirre, the Wrath of God , Nosferatu the Vampyre , Woyzeck , Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde .-Early...
- Marquis De Sade - Romina PowerRomina PowerRomina Francesca Power is an American-born singer and actress.-Biography:Born in Los Angeles, California, Romina Power is the eldest daughter of American actor Tyrone Power and his second wife, actress Linda Christian....
- Justine - Maria RohmMaria RohmMaria Rohm is an Austrian actress.She is famous for appearing in many exploitation films directed by Jesús Franco in the late 60s. She was married to film producer Harry Alan Towers from 1964 until his death in 2009...
- Juliette - Rosemary Dexter - Claudine
- Carmen de Lirio - Madame De Buisson
- Akim TamiroffAkim TamiroffAkim Mikhailovich Tamiroff was an Armenian actor. He won the first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.Tamiroff was born in Tiflis, Russian Empire , of Armenian ethnicity. He trained at the Moscow Art Theatre drama school. He arrived in the U.S. in 1923 on a tour with a troupe of actors...
- Du Harpin - Gustavo Re - Derroches
- Mercedes McCambridgeMercedes McCambridgeCarlotta Mercedes McCambridge was an American actress. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress."-Early life:...
- Madame Dusbois - Serena VerganoSerena VerganoSerena Vergano born Adalgisa Serena Maggiora Vergano , is an Italian actress. She was the muse of the Barcelona School of Film, acting in many of the films of this movement.-Career:...
- Prisoner - José Manuel Martín - Victor
- Mike Brendel - Pierre
- Harald LeipnitzHarald LeipnitzHarald Leipnitz was a German actor.- Filmography :- External links :...
- Raymond - Horst FrankHorst FrankHorst Frank was a German film actor. He appeared in over 100 films between 1955 and 1999. He was born in Lübeck, Germany and died in Heidelberg, Germany.-Selected filmography:* Der Stern von Afrika...
- Marquis de Bressac - Angel Petit - Jasmin
- Sylva KoscinaSylva KoscinaSylva Koscina was an Italian actress.-Biography:...
- Marquise de Bressac - Howard VernonHoward VernonHoward Vernon was a Swiss actor.Vernon was born Mario Lippert to a Swiss father and an American mother and was fluent in German, English, and French...
- Clement - Jack PalanceJack PalanceJack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
- Antonin - Rosalba NeriRosalba NeriRosalba Neri , sometimes credited as Sara Bey or Sara Bay, is a retired Italian actress.-Biography:When she was very young, she won a beauty pageant and attended il Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia...
- Florette - Claudia Gravy - Olivia
- Gérard TichyGerard TichyGérard Tichy was a Spanish actor of German descent, who appeared in numerous movies, including several international productions. He was born in Weißenfels, Germany, on March 11, 1920, and died in Madrid, Spain, on April 11, 1992.Tichy participated in World War II and held the rank of a...
- Comte Courville