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Murmur of the Heart (1971,
Fr./It./W.Ger.) (aka Le Souffle Au Coeur)
In director Louis Malle's semi-biographical, controversial
examination of desire and love in a classic coming of age story in
the mid-1950s in France:
- the scene of 14 year-old Laurent "Renzino" Chevalier's
(Benoit Ferreux) two older boastful and pranksterish brothers,
Thomas (Fabien Ferreux) and Marc (Marc Winocourt), entering his
room and wrestling with him - and then showing off their penis
sizes to him and getting a ruler to measure whose was largest:
(Thomas: "Bigger than yours already and I'm still growing" Marc: "Midget,
wanna see a man's dick? I might scare you"), and then being
caught by the housemaid Augusta (Ave Ninchi): ("Filthy pigs!
Shame on you")
- the scene of a lecherous Father Henri (Michael Lonsdale)
making a subdued pass at studious Laurent during compulsory confession,
who put his hand on Laurent's shoulder, and began asking about his "wicked
thoughts," and then gave a long warning about self-abuse: ("Did
you abuse yourself again?...How many times?...Alone?...Do you realize
how serious this is? If you don't stop these bad habits, God will
turn away from you forever. We're all such weak pitiful creatures,
prey to the vilest temptations of the flesh. For those who vow chastity,
it's a struggle, believe me. Such temptations come with your age,
and you give in to them. But watch out. You'll form habits that you'll
later find impossible to break. Think of your future wife. She'll
expect the same purity of you that you'll expect of her. I'm confident
you'll master this. We have high expectations for you"); and
then he touched Laurent's leg: ("Why, what muscles? Do you do
much swimming?..You've developed a lot in a year. I bet both my hands
won't even go around your thighs. See? They don't")
- the brothel scene in the basement-bar of discotheque
L'Oree du Bois (run by Madame Madeleine) where Laurent was taken
by his brothers to lose his virginity to prostitute Freda (Gila von
Weitershausen), who assured him as they began to undress in a bedroom: "Come
sit by me. So this is your first time? Don't worry. I'm used to it.
I always get the virgins. Everything'll be all right. Just relax,
sweetie. I never kiss customers. That's only for my fiancee. Come
here and I'll wash you...Come on. You're cute, you know that? You're
big for your age. You're raring to go, I see. Dry off, sweetie. Since
this is your first time, I'll take off my bra. But you'll have to
help me put it back on. You think I have a nice figure? Do you like
me? I've put on some weight lately. The food's so good around here.
I hear your friends are paying for this. Nice of them. Is it your
birthday? What soft skin! Softer than mine. You okay? Frightened?
Don't you worry. I'm very gentle. Everything will be just fine. Just
do as I say. I excite you a little, don't I? Let me lie down and
you get on top. Ha-ha. What's the rush? There's no meter running.
Ouch, that hurts! Gently. I'll give you the rhythm. You like that?
Nice, isn't it? Not bad for a beginner. You're gifted. You'll be
a lady-killer when you're older"); but then Laurent's brothers
disrupted the love-making by barging into the room
- the sensitively-rendered scenes between Laurent and
his adoring Italian mother Clara (Lea Massari), while she helped
care for him in a hotel following scarlet fever and a heart murmur;
she admitted "I have no sense of modesty" standing in front
of him in her bra and panties, but then after she caught him glimpsing
her naked in a tub, she slapped him
- at the hotel, Laurent became interested in two young
girls: Hélène and Daphne; he pursued Hélène
but she said she would wait to have sex (Laurent accused her of being
a lesbian)
Laurent's Incest With His Mother Clara
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- later, Laurent impulsively kissed Clara, telling
her: "I think you're great...Whatever you do, I'm on your
side"; and the scene of giving comfort to her after she broke
up with her lover - and they became more intimate when she helped
him shampoo his hair; after getting drunk celebrating Bastille
Day, Laurent helped Clara undress before a one-night incestuous
love-making, when she told him: "I don't want you to be unhappy,
or ashamed, or sorry. We'll remember it as a very beautiful and
solemn moment that will never happen again...We'll never mention
it again. It'll be our secret. I'll remember it without remorse,
tenderly. Promise you'll do the same"
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Penis Size Measurements
Father Henri's Pass at Laurent During Confession
Laurent With Prostitute Freda: "What soft skin"
Laurent with Helene
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