L'Important C'est d'Aimer (aka The Most Important Thing Love) (1975)

A once promising actress (Romy Schneider) is now reduced to appearing in porn films. When a tabloid photographer (Fabio Testi) comes into her life, things begin to look promising but it isn't long before it descends into turmoil. Based on the novel LA NUIT AMERICAINE (unrelated to the 1973 Truffaut film) by Christopher Frank and directed by Andrzej Zulawski (POSSESSION). If you've seen Zulawski's POSSESSION, you know what you're in for. This is one downer of a movie. All its characters are broken people, most of them searching for something that they can hang on to that will keep them living. Romy Schneider, who won the Cesar (the French Oscar) for her performance here gives a potent performance. As her homosexual film buff husband, Jacques Dutronc is also very strong and so subtle that one might overlook his fine work here. This is a film that needs your concentration to get the most out of it but (not unlike POSSESSION), it's not for everybody. The underscore by Georges Delerue (SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER) contributes a nice edge to the film. With Klaus Kinski and Claude Dauphin.