Contempt

Le Mépris

Novelist and playwright Paul (Michel Piccoli) is hired by avaricious Hollywood producer Jerry (Jack Palance) to rework an adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey to be filmed by Fritz Lang (playing himself) in order to give it more commercial appeal. When the producer makes a pass at Paul’s wife Camille (Brigitte Bardot), what she deems Paul’s lack of sufficient outrage causes a rift between the two. The experience of making a big budget film with big stars was soured for Godard by the producers’ demands, yet the result is an uncompromising masterpiece seething with anger.

This film is part of the Truth, 24 Times Per Second: The Films of Jean-Luc Godard selection on IFI@Home.