Phedre (1968)

Marie Bell, once of the Comedie Francaise, enacts the role of the tormented Phedre, enamored of her stepson Hippolyte (Claude Giraud). He in turn loves Aricie (Tania Torrens), a captive. The king, father to Hippolyte and husband of Phedre, is thought dead. When Theseus (Jacques Dacqmine) proves to be alive, tragedy takes its toll. An stylized version of Jean Racine classic, released in 1972 in the U.S. with the French text translated by English subtitles taken from William Packard's Alexandrine translation, the film is mainly a series of monologues by the characters. Acting is good and Packard's rhyming English titles are beautiful in themselves.