La fille coupée en deux (2007)

English titles: The Girl Cut in Two; A Girl Cut in Two.

A young woman who works in TV starts a relationship with a married man who is much older than her. Concurrently, a young millionaire starts courting her.

The main foundation is Homer's Odyssey, seen here from the vantage point of Penelope; an auxiliary point of support is Louÿs' The Woman and the Puppet (which was made into the films The Devil Is a Woman and That Obscure Object of Desire). Those literary works are cited during the film as clues for its comprehension, the former in the title of one character's novel (Penelope's Absence) and the latter at an auction attended by said character and his young lover. Gabrielle is torn between her Ulysses -- an older novelist who treats her like shit -- and an unstable and rich suitor whom she treats just as badly in her own way. Despite all the cultural references, this is a carelessly written and even at times confusing film, directed with a flat style which on occasion borders on soap-like. As a final note, it is loosely based on a real episode which occurred in 1906 and inspired the film The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955); it was also featured in Ragtime (1981).

Rating: 45