Hecate (1982)

Words usually come too late

Hecate (1982) poster

Set amid the European community in an unspecified North African country, a colony on the verge of nationalism just before the war. And colonized is what happens to a French diplomat, Julien Rochelle, when he meets the mysterious beauty Clothilde de Watteville. Schmid 's favorite axiom, that love is projection, never had such a thorough airing. Is Clothilde really the wife of a French official now holed up in Siberia? Or is she Hecate, goddess of black magic and devourer of the Arab boys she meets far from the European quarter? Only our projections know for sure; for the rest, she is a "woman looking out into the night." Drawn from a novel by Paul Morand, who based the main character on his wife Helene, Schmid's film achieves an atmosphere of magic in which psychological credibility is not so much absent as irrelevant-a film that distances itself from the drama it invokes, perhaps as the elusive Clothilde turns her back on the madness she provokes.

Director: Daniel Schmid
Genre: Drama, Romance
Runtime: 105 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: Carlos D'Alessio
Cinematography: Renato Berta
Editing: Nicole Lubtchansky
Production: Les Productions Audiovisuelles, TSR, TF1 Films Production
Country: France, Switzerland
Language: Français
Original Language: fr

Keywords

diplomat, based on novel or book, magic, africa, nationalism, colony, goddess, european, mysterious

Similar Movies

More Films by Director: Daniel Schmid
More Films in Genre: Drama, Romance

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hecate about?
Set amid the European community in an unspecified North African country, a colony on the verge of nationalism just before the war. And colonized is what happens to a French diplomat, Julien Rochelle, when he meets the mysterious beauty Clothilde de Watteville. Schmid 's favorite axiom, that love is projection, never had such a thorough airing. Is Clothilde really the wife of a French official now holed up in Siberia? Or is she Hecate, goddess of black magic and devourer of the Arab boys she meets far from the European quarter? Only our projections know for sure; for the rest, she is a "woman looking out into the night." Drawn from a novel by Paul Morand, who based the main character on his wife Helene, Schmid's film achieves an atmosphere of magic in which psychological credibility is not so much absent as irrelevant-a film that distances itself from the drama it invokes, perhaps as the elusive Clothilde turns her back on the madness she provokes.
Who directed Hecate?
Hecate was directed by Daniel Schmid.
Who stars in Hecate?
Hecate stars Bernard Giraudeau, Lauren Hutton, Jean Bouise, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Gérard Desarthe, Juliette Brac.
How long is Hecate?
Hecate has a runtime of 1h 45m (105 minutes).
What genre is Hecate?
Hecate is a Drama, Romance film.
Where was Hecate produced?
Hecate was produced in France, Switzerland.