The Cousins (1959) in Color — Starring Gérard Blain & Jean-Claude Brialy

The Cousins (1959) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover one of the defining works of the French New Wave with The Cousins (1959), now available to buy as a professionally colorized version. Directed by Claude Chabrol and starring Gérard Blain and Jean-Claude Brialy, this classic film tells the story of two cousins with opposite temperaments who share an apartment in Paris — one earnest and studious, the other decadent and cruel — as their rivalry over a beautiful woman builds toward a devastating conclusion. Originally released in black and white, this restored drama has been carefully enhanced through frame-by-frame HD colorization. Download your instant, DRM-free copy today for just €15.00 and watch Chabrol’s Golden Bear-winning study of jealousy and amorality in color.

Plot Summary

Charles, a shy and serious young man from the provinces, arrives in Paris to study law and moves in with his cousin Paul — a charismatic, amoral dandy who treats life as an endless party. Paul’s apartment is a permanent salon of decadence: drinking, jazz, intellectual posturing, and casual cruelty, populated by a circle of hangers-on who orbit Paul’s magnetic personality.

Charles is immediately out of his depth. Where Paul is confident, witty, and effortlessly dominant, Charles is awkward, earnest, and painfully sincere. The tension between them crystallizes when Charles falls in love with Florence, a beautiful young woman in their social circle. Florence is drawn to Charles’s gentleness but helplessly attracted to Paul’s dangerous glamour. When Paul casually seduces Florence — not out of love but out of a compulsive need to possess whatever his cousin desires — Charles’s world begins to crumble.

As his law exams approach, Charles throws himself into desperate study while Paul, who never opens a book, prepares to breeze through on innate intelligence and charm. The injustice of their respective fates — the decent man who fails and the cruel man who succeeds — becomes unbearable. In the film’s shocking climax, the rivalry between the cousins reaches a point of no return, and the loaded pistol that Paul has been carelessly waving at parties throughout the film finally fulfills its terrible promise. This classic movie is a merciless dissection of how charm can be a weapon and decency a fatal weakness.

Cast & Crew

• Starring: Gérard Blain, Jean-Claude Brialy, Juliette Mayniel, Stéphane Audran, Guy Decomble, Geneviève Cluny
• Director: Claude Chabrol
• Runtime: 112 minutes
• Year: 1959
• Rated: Not Rated
• Genre: Drama
• Country: France

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This professionally colorized and restored version brings vivid visual life to Chabrol’s portrait of Parisian decadence. The colorization process reveals the bohemian atmosphere of Paul’s apartment — the cluttered rooms, the party decorations, the cheap wine bottles — and the elegant yet predatory world of Left Bank youth culture in rich, period-accurate detail. Jean-Claude Brialy’s dazzling, dangerous charm and Gérard Blain’s vulnerable sincerity are heightened in color, the physical contrast between the flamboyant cousin and the plain one becoming even more painfully visible. The party scenes — with their jazz, dancing, and undercurrents of cruelty — gain an intoxicating visual energy, while the quieter moments of Charles’s solitary study take on a muted, melancholy palette that mirrors his isolation. Now also available in colour.

Buy now for an instant, secure digital download with no DRM restrictions. Compatible with all devices that play MP4 files.

Historical Significance

The Cousins (Les Cousins) won the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival, establishing Claude Chabrol as one of the most important directors of the French New Wave alongside François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. Chabrol, who had launched the movement with Le Beau Serge the previous year using an inheritance from his wife’s family, here deepened his exploration of bourgeois amorality that would become his lifelong obsession. The film reunited Gérard Blain and Jean-Claude Brialy from Le Beau Serge, but reversed their dynamic — Brialy, previously the dissolute character, now played the corrupting force with terrifying relish, while Blain became the innocent destroyed by a world he cannot comprehend. Stéphane Audran, who would become Chabrol’s wife and his greatest leading lady, appeared in an early role. The film’s clear-eyed depiction of how society rewards amorality and punishes sincerity anticipated the social critiques that would define Chabrol’s fifty-year career, from Les Biches to La Cérémonie.

Technical Details

• Original Format: Black and White (1959)
• Colorized: Frame-by-frame HD colorization (en couleur)
• Resolution: HD 720p
• File Format: MP4 / MKV
• Running Time: 112 minutes
• Delivery: Instant download link on-screen and sent to your email upon purchase.
• Price: €15.00
• License: Personal, non-commercial use

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: What is The Cousins about?
Two cousins with opposite temperaments share an apartment in Paris, but their rivalry over a woman and the injustice of their contrasting fortunes builds to a devastating climax.

Q: Who stars in this film?
Gérard Blain and Jean-Claude Brialy, with early appearances by Stéphane Audran and Juliette Mayniel, directed by French New Wave master Claude Chabrol.

Q: Did this film win any awards?
Yes, it won the Golden Bear at the 1959 Berlin Film Festival, one of the highest honors in international cinema.

Digital Download Questions

Q: Is this the original film with added color?
Yes, this is the original black and white film professionally colorized frame-by-frame for authentic, vibrant visuals.

Q: What devices can I watch this on?
Any device that supports MP4 playback, including Smart TVs, Windows/macOS computers, and iOS/Android devices.

Q: Is the download DRM-free?
Yes, this digital download is DRM-free for your personal use.

Q: How and when will I receive my download?
You will receive a secure download link on the confirmation page immediately after purchase. A copy of the link will also be sent to your email address.

Related Colorized Classics

• Lady by Choice (1934)
• The Victors (1963)
• Phone Call from a Stranger (1952)
• Wings (1927)
• Deadlier Than the Male (1956)