With a typical love of blatant symbolism, Joseph Losey begins La Truite with a scene of Frédérique mechanically milking sperm from a big trout fish, to fertilize eggs in a hatchery. She attracts men with her long red hair like a brightly-colored fishing lure, and is often seen around water that a trout might frequent. She's a climber, although not the typical kind who actively schemes to get what she wants. Marilene notes that Frédérique doesn't talk to other women, but in Tokyo the redhead strikes up a friendship with Gloria (Alexis Smith), an aging golddigger on her second millionaire husband. Gloria speaks about something called satori - a world of pleasure that Frédérique's never experienced. Love isn't her aim; she cares for Galuchat but when it comes to both sex and sentiment, Frédérique's as cold as a gilled you-know-what.

All of this might be as mechanical as Frédérique's assisted trout sex if it weren't for Losey's subtlety and ambiguity. Characters don't come out with regular position speeches, and when Lou and Rambert finally get honest about their mutual contempt, violence ensues. Worldly Saint-Genis takes Frédérique's unspoken exploitation of his decadence in stride. Galuchat is a closed book of alcoholism and potential suicide; his specific arrangement with Frédérique is hard to pin down but no odder than any relationship in real life that we don't understand.

A large section of the film takes place in Tokyo and bears comparison with last year's Lost in Translation. Frédérique travels there as a kept companion and is pampered with a car at her disposal while her boyfriend openly consorts with his Japanese girlfriend. There she can be as provocative as she likes.

Critics can ask exactly why Frédérique, who is no Rita Hayworth, causes so much of a disturbance among the male sex. But Isabelle Huppert does make herself attractive and mysterious. She's available-looking with a hint of dare about her, and she's something more than just a cheap tease. It's an interesting puzzle even if overall the film seems heartless, as I'm sure Losey intended. When the winning means getting upstream the fastest and attracting the fattest spawning partners, the Frédériques of the world get ahead.

If attracting a topnotch cast is the mark of an important director, Losey qualifies. Jeanne Moreau is magnificent, with Jean-Pierre Cassel (Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, Is Paris Burning?) running a close second. Daniel Olbrychski (Dekalog, Les uns et les autres) is slick as the international playboy and Jacques Spessier (Black and White in Color, Stavisky) turns in a good portrait of a hard-to-read character. Isao Yamagata (Seven Samurai, Warning from Space, Sword of Vengeance III) is believable as a Japanese industrialist. It's very interesting to see the famous Warners star Alexis Smith turn up, and Craig Stevens' (Peter Gunn) appearance in a last-minute cameo.

La Truite is beautifully photographed and designed by Henri Alekan and Alexander Trauner. Beyond his penchant for potent symbols, Joseph Losey's direction betrays not a hint of mannerisms or affectations. It's a very good picture.

HVe's DVD of La Truite looks fantastic and flawless in an enhanced encoding with rich color, and a vibrant soundtrack for all the early-eighties dance music heard in the nightclubs. Brian McFarlane provides thoughtful liner notes, while the only other extras are some filmographies. The box and menu design are quietly tasteful. It's easy to see why the English language release didn't use a translated title, or this disc would end up misfiled on the outdoor sportsman shelf.

On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor, La Truite rates:
Movie: Very Good
Video: Excellent
Sound: Excellent
Supplements: filmographies
Packaging: Keep case
Reviewed: March 28, 2004