David Niven and Jean Seberg say "Bonjour Tristesse" in this 1958 film directed by Otto Preminger and also starring Deborah Kerr and Mylène Demongeot. Niven and Seberg are Raymond and Cecile, a father and daughter vacationing on the Riviera and having a superficial blast for themselves. Raymond has his current girlfriend Elsa (Demongeot) living with them as well. When a good friend of Raymond's late wife, Anne (Kerr) comes to visit, things change - at first for the better, as the four of them continue the party atmosphere. Later, when Anne becomes Raymond's fiancée and begins to discipline Cecile, the fun stops. Cecile decides that Anne will have to go.

The film is told in flashback, black and white representing the present and glorious color used to tell the story, which is narrated by Seberg.

There's lots about this movie that is fascinating, and some of it just sort of falls flat. The idea that a deep-thinking, responsible career woman comes into the lives of two bon vivants is an interesting one, and you couldn't ask for a better cast. The beginning of the film, and even Cecile's plan to get rid of Anne that she brings Elsa and her own boyfriend Phillipe in on has a lighthearted feel to it. What Raymond and Cecile never considered is that there are ramifications for actions, Cecile due to her immaturity and Raymond because he's Raymond.

David Niven is terrific as the dashing Raymond, who loves a party, and Deborah Kerr gives a warm performance as Anne, who truly loves him and wants to ground both him and his daughter. The curiosity here is Seberg. She is as always the perfect gamine. Any time she's in a scene, you can't take your eyes off of her. She's so darn beautiful. Yet I don't think I've ever heard her say one line that I believed. And she's one actress where it just doesn't seem to matter. We hear a lot about "it" - well, she really had it.

Gorgeous scenery - you want to leave for the Riviera immediately. And, truth to tell, spending some time with Raymond, Cecile and Elsa before the arrival of Anne wouldn't be bad either.

This film starts off in a very unusual manner. While the credits are done by Saul Bass in color, the film itself is black & white. I am not sure if any other films have this distinction, but it certainly is unusual. Then, throughout the film, it switched from color to black & white--a daring move that may or may not distract the viewer.

As another reviewer pointed out, the film has very strong Oedipal overtones. The film centers on the life of two rather free-thinking people--a father and daughter (David Niven and Jean Seberg) who seem amazingly chummy--more so than is typical. They hug and kiss so often and have very vague personal boundaries that the viewer most likely will feel a bit creeped out by them. And, the father and daughter talks about the father's love life with the young bombshell Mylène Demongeot--his latest conquest. Unusual to say the least! Because there is this seething undercurrent, things turn out very bad when a domineering woman (Deborah Kerr) comes back into their lives and threatens the relationship between father and daughter. Unlike Dad's other women, Kerr seems less willing to share him with Seberg--Mylène (who was quite young) acted more like a goofy sister or friend to Seberg instead of an adult. Kerr is definitely NOT goofy or much fun for the daughter. In fact, Kerr begins acting like she is Seberg's mother soon after her arrival .

Now this brings me to a major problem with "Oedipus II", I mean "Bonjour Tristesse". Niven is a bit of a bohemian...yet he suddenly gives up his fun-loving life for the wet blanket, Kerr. She is neither young nor sexy and seems as much fun as a missionary at a sex workers' convention! So what, exactly, motivated Niven?! I have no idea. While I am a pretty conservative type guy, I thought Kerr was dull and anti-fun--so why would Niven, then, be drawn to her?! Now I could understand Seberg disliking this new arrangement--that, at least, made sense. After all, Kerr is rather awful and Seberg just wants to have fun.

Now I actually think the Oedipal angle, while creepy, was pretty interesting. While they never could have gotten away with this in the 1950s, it would have really been interesting if Niven and Seberg's relationship had been much more intimate--or at least more strongly implied. Then, the creepy love triangle might have been a lot more explosive and interesting. But, while I am thinking about it, Kerr's character needed to become less unlikable. This is because she was too easy to hate and too one-dimensional. As I said above, it made no sense that Niven could want to marry this awful person. So, toning down Kerr and increasing the father-daughter sexual tension might have made the film a lot more interesting--and completely blown away audiences of the day--so much so, that this might not have made it past the censors.

So, as it is, is the film worth seeing even if it is a tad sanitized for 50s tastes? Well, the idea of Seberg plotting to destroy Kerr is awfully intriguing. Plus, to a degree, you must agree with Seberg--though not her methods. After all, I felt like rapping Kerr's character in the mouth myself and wanted to see something bad happen. Because of this and good acting, the film really is interesting and hard to stop watching--like a high quality but sleazy soaper such as "Peyton Place". Beware that it is a bit slow at the beginning--bear with it, it does get better--and it ends quite well. In fact, the ending is quite haunting--and lingers even after the final credits have rolled.

The trio of David Niven, Deborah Kerr, and Jean Seberg star in Otto Preminger's Oedipal drama Bonjour Tristesse. With those Givenchy gowns featured, how did Audrey Hepburn miss this film?

Based on the Francoise Sagan novel, this is one strange tale of a playboy father, the daughter who adores him and the woman who threatens to come between them. Niven is the playboy who must have inherited his wealth because he doesn't look like he worked a day in his life. At one time he was married and had Seberg with his late wife. Anyway she travels with him and enjoys life and its vices the same way he does.

It's all right when Niven's fooling around with Mylene Demongeot, the latest in a string of flings, but when old flame Deborah Kerr shows up and wants to marry Niven, that puts Seberg off.

Truth be told Kerr had no right acting like a stepmother before the wedding. Still it didn't justify what Seberg set in motion that ends in tragedy.

The novel is French based of course and I think the French should have filmed it. I think Otto Preminger was just the wrong director for this kind of material.

Geoffrey Horne plays Seberg's boyfriend and Martita Hunt is his mother round out a stylish cast. But with only one actual person of French nationality among the main cast. that was a big mistake.