La Chambre Verte (aka The Green Room) (1978)

Set in a small French town some 10 years after WWI. A veteran (Francois Truffaut) of WWI is now working as the editor of a small newspaper. He is obsessed with the dead people he has known throughout his life and builds a memorial to them. Based on three stories by Henry James (ALTAR OF THE DEAD, BEAST IN THE JUNGLE, THE WAY IT CAME) and directed by Francois Truffaut (DAY FOR NIGHT). This is one of the most morbid movies I've ever seen. I found the obsession with dead people by Truffaut's character emotionally and mentally unstable yet I suspect Truffaut saw him as some kind of noble protagonist. Apparently, Truffaut's connection to the subject matter was so strong that he chose to play the lead himself. As an actor, Truffaut isn't very interesting though his gloominess certainly fits the part. The French critics were highly impressed by the movie (many calling it one of his very best) but its reception in the U.S.. was indifferent. With Nathalie Baye, Jean Daste and Jean Pierre Ducos.