Every major director has experienced inevitably laborious phases of making really bad films.This happens as there are times when all creative people tend to hibernate.French new wave wonder kid Truffaut is also no exception to dreadfully malevolent rule of bad film making. There have been some phases in his cinematographic career wherein he has made some really atrocious films.One can quote films like "The Bride wore black"/La Mariée était en noir, "The Man who loved women"/L'Homme Qui Aimait Les Femmes and "Mississippi Mermaid"/La Sirène Du Mississipi as some of the bland films which have been directed by Truffaut. Mississippi Mermaid is a colossal failure as its star studded caste is largely wasted.One of French cinema's most vibrant pairs actors Jean Paul Belmondo and Catherine Deneuve look interesting but hardly offer any proofs of good acting.This film about a mail order bride is a good example of foregone conclusion as there is neither proper suspense nor any kind of well developed mystery.Truffaut has attempted to make a good film about love but ended creating a farce about a woman who gets the better of a stupid man.

This agreeable French movie deals about a millionaire owner of a tobacco factory on an African island nearly to Madagascar named Louis(Jean Paul Belmondo). He's a single man looking wife, then he advertises a bride and gets a gorgeous woman named Julia(Catherine Deneuve). When she spontaneously appears turns out to be much more attractive than expected. He marries to Julia but she suddenly disappears.A French eye private(Michael Bouquet) is hired by Julia's sister and soon he's on the trail of his previous spouse. Later Louis encounters her in a dancing-hall under another name. In spite of the romantic delusion and everything, Louis goes on enamored with his enigmatic wife.This film is a splendid drama plenty of betrayal,deception, killing, theft and Hitchcockian suspense. Good performances by Jean Paul Belmondo as young proprietary of a cigarette company who seems determined to fall under the spell of a femme fatale and a wonderful Catherine Deneuve as suspect heroine. The film gets several references to the American cinema, but Truffaut(400 blows) was a fervent moviegoer, such as : Johnny Guitar, Colorado Jim, Bogart, and Hitchcock.The USA version was cut numerous minutes and deserves an urgent restoring and remastering. Loosely based on the novel titled'Waltz into darkness' by Cornell Woolrich (Rear window and screenwriter of Alfred Hitchcock hour) who also was adapted in 'Truffaut's The bride wore black'.Colorful cinematography by Denys Clerval(Stolen kisses) and atmospheric musical score by Antoine Duhamel, Truffaut's usual musician.This is one of the best of his suspense movies along with ¨Farenheit 451 and Shoot the piano player¨. Remade by an inferior version by Michael Christofer(2001) with Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie and Jack Thompson, full of erotic and lust scenes.

The film is a joy to watch, not just for the plot, which is gripping, but also for the superb performances of the actors, Deneuve and Belmondo. Though considered a 'flop' on its first release it has become a critical success, and it is clear to see why. Deneuve's acting style suited the film brilliantly. she constantly gives the impression that she is holding back or hiding something, and her character in this film is. I will not spoil it with saying what, though it is divulged fairly early on. Belmondo is lovable as the fairly naiive but in love tobacconist. I would recommend this film to all Truffaut or Deneuve fans. It is a brilliant Hitchcockian style thriller with exciting twists and interesting relationships and characters that develop as the film does. The film is approx 2 hrs, so you feel that you have not been sold short. Deneuve steals the show in this film, and it is clear that at the time of making the film Truffaut was very much smitten with her. A definite must see for any cineaste or moviefan. 10/10

Usually, when we hear about a Truffaut movie, we think of "The 400 Blows", "The Wild Child", or something similar. "Mississippi Mermaid" is a shocker in that respect. It wasn't a bad movie, but I didn't derive that it was actually trying to say anything. In some sense, it almost seemed like the sort of movie that they just made for fun (Truffaut wouldn't have done that, would he?). It focuses on Reunion resident Louis Mahe (Jean-Paul Belmondo) marrying Julie Roussel (Catherine Deneuve), who may or may not be what she seems.Anyway, it's okay just to watch, but I wouldn't make it my first choice. It's still surprising that Francois Truffaut did this.