Our Summer historical mini season is dedicated to the Austrian actor Oskar Werner. The outspoken pacifist was drafted into the war shortly after making his stage debut at the Burgtheater in 1941. Following the war he returned to the stage and also began starring in German and Austrian films. By the time he starred in Max Ophüls’ Lola Montès in 1955 he had become one of the best recognised actors in Europe. He became an international sensation in Truffaut’s Jules et Jim, which was recently screened as part of CineClub’s 1918 Historical Film Season. Werner and Truffaut’s cooperation continued with films such as Fahrenheit 451 in 1966.

We begin the season with a historical romance based on the life of the celebrated Irish dancer and courtesan Lola Montey. The film tells the story of the most famous of her many notorious affairs.

France, 1955, 114 min, French and German with English subtitles, directed by Max Ophüls