THE PAINTED LADY

by Francoise Sagan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 24, 1982

In The Unmade Bed (1978), Sagan's central portrait of an older-woman/younger-man affair became tedious in its chic sighs and soulfulness--especially in comparison to the more amusing, ironic doings of the supporting cast. Here, however, in her longest, most ambitious novel yet, Sagan has wisely given equal weight to a half-dozen romantic relationships, none of which has quite enough time to exasperate--and the result, though never nearly as profound as it's meant to be, is whimsically, moodily engrossing most of the way through. The premise, with echoes of everything from Katherine Anne Porter to The Love Boat: a ten-day Mediterranean cruise--one of those posh ""music cruises"" with famous performers aboard to entertain. And Sagan's dozen European characters are the lucky few traveling ""de luxe"" (plus the stolid, anti-intellectual Captain and his gushing, homosexual Purser). Prima passenger is aging diva Doria Doriacci, who promptly beds gorgeous young quasi-gigolo Andreas: to protect herself from hurt, however, she will refuse to fall in love--and her doting, needy, family-less swain will be driven to suicide. Meanwhile, pretentious and frigid film-starlet Olga, mistress of 50-ish arriviste director Simon, plunges into a loveless, ostentatious affair with handsome, leftist news-baron Eric (until she overhears Eric's cruel comments about her); poor Simon will slowly get over his self-destructive Olga obsession, beginning an unlikely flirtation with 60-ish jetsetter Edma--who finds herself somehow not minding Simon's undeniable vulgarity. And, above all, elegant Eric's miserable wife Clarisse, the ""painted lady"" who hides her beauty under grotesque makeup, emerges from her marital prison (hypocrite Eric despises her born-rich background)--in a serious affair with con-man Julien, who has previously thought of himself ""as having missed out on love, and devastated by this inability of his to love, an infirmity almost glorious because acquired on the fields of battle."" As usual, Sagan does better with the charming, offbeat liaisons here than with the grand (often banal) passions. And, except for a few minor intrigues (Olga's attempt to embarrass Eric, Eric's attempt to humiliate Julien), there's little real drama. But the cruise set-up provides a neat, firm container for Sagan's soft-focus narration; the diva and a maestro offer opportunity for additional comedy (though the musical detailing is hit-or-miss); and, while sometimes lapsing into florid shallows, Sagan's musing, probing prose--remarkably well-translated--keeps this uncompelling yet attractive ship-of-fools from sinking to the soap-opera level.

Pub Date: Jan. 24, 1982

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1982

Categories: FICTION