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Cordlia (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Cordlia' is a 1980 Canadian French language film directed and written by Jean Beaudin.Gerald Pratley, 'A Century of Canadian Cinema'. Lynx Images, 2003. . p. 48. It is an adapation of the novel 'La lampe dans la fentre' by Pauline Cadieux, itself based on the real-life 1890s murder trial of Cordlia Viau and Samuel Parslow.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1562990/cordelia-viau-and-sam-parslow-hanged-by/ "Man and Woman Executed"]. 'The New York Sun', March 11, 1899.
Plot
Set in a village in the 1890s, the film centres on Cordlia Viau (Louise Portal), a woman who invites men into her home while her husband is away. This action offends the conservative villagers. One of the men who was invited in is found dead and the woman is suspected and judged for her immoral act rather than the crime of murder she may have committed.
Cast
Critical response
Mark Leslie of 'Cinema Canada' favourably reviewed the film, writing that "Like Beaudin's last feature, 'J.A. Martin photographe', 'Cordelia' is also a sumptuous period piece of pastel colours, soft, expressive lighting and glimpses of a visually beautiful past. But occasionally the prettiness of these images creates a discord in the film, not unlike that resulting from the unexplained plot details already discussed. The beautiful light in the jail makes Cordelia's imprisonment appear unnecessarily romantic."Mark Leslie, [http://cinemacanada.athabascau.ca/index.php/cinema/article/viewFile/894/965 "Jean Beaudin's Cordlia"]. 'Cinema Canada', April 1980. pp. 37-38.
The film was one of two, alongside Jean-Claude Labrecque's 'The Coffin Affair (L'Affaire Coffin)', which was criticized by justice Jules Deschnes of the Quebec Superior Court for having purportedly erred in points of law."Films 'err seriously' judge says". 'The Globe and Mail', October 6, 1980. According to Deschnes, there was no evidence that the real Cordlia Viau had not committed the murder, and thus the film's thesis that she was wrongfully convicted was slanderous to the judicial system.
Awards
The film received seven Genie Award nominations at the 1st Genie Awards in 1980.
References
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