The Private Affairs of Bel Ami (Region 2)

George Sanders' ability to portray slightly sinister, raffish chancer characters has seldom been better displayed than here in this 1947 gem retrieved from the vaults. The film stays fairly close to the novel and shows Bel Ami's drive and journalistic skills helping him charm and influence all the women he comes into contact with.This in turn enables him to improve his social and career prospects - assisted no doubt by his cheating his wife out of half an inheritance she receives, before framing her in order to get a divorce, all at the same time as having a brief affair with his boss' wife ! The hand of the censor is evident in showing the affair with Mme Walter ending c 2 mins (allowing for a brief scene involving a character who does not appear elsewhere in the film) of screen time after it started ! Although the film is dominated by George Sanders, the female characters of Clotilde as Bel Ami's mistress and Madeleine as his wife both come across as quite believable.The one area of difference from the book is where an incident is taken from the middle of the narrative, and placed at the end of the film - to my mind, giving it a much more satisfactory conclusion. Overall, this film is a pretty good rendition of the book, and is most certainly better than the 2012 remake.

Undeniably stylish and beautifully photographed with a brilliantly louche performance from the supremely watchable George Sanders. Seems largely forgotten nowadays but one of Albert Lewin's four interesting films (David Thomson) and well-worth seeking out. Leisurely pacing but never dull - looks not unlike sub-Ophuls material to my untrained eye, but with a bit more verbal wit. Hollywood 1880s Paris but very effectively so.