Crime,Drama,Romance
France,Italy
Mississippi Mermaid (1969) is a French film directed by François Truffaut. The movie stars Catherine Deneuve, who plays Julie Roussel, a con woman who poses as a mail-order bride for Louis Mahé (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo), a wealthy tobacco plantation owner on the tropical island of Réunion.
Louis had fallen in love with the picture of a beautiful woman named Catherine, who he believed would make his life complete. However, when Julie Roussel arrives on the island, she looks nothing like the woman in the photograph. Despite his initial shock, Louis falls in love with Julie and they marry.
Shortly after, Louis discovers that Julie has stolen his money and disappeared. He becomes obsessed with finding her, even traveling to France to do so. When he finally tracks her down, she admits to being a con artist and begs for his forgiveness.
The film explores themes of love, deception, and obsession as Louis grapples with his feelings for Julie, despite her betrayal. It is a dark and moody film, with atmospheric cinematography that captures the lush landscapes of the island and the gritty streets of Marseille.
Mississippi Mermaid is considered one of Truffaut's more underrated films and features strong performances by both Deneuve and Belmondo. It was remade in English as Original Sin (2001) starring Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie.
