Testament of Orpheus

Photos by Lucien Clergue

 

Le testament d’Orphée is a 1960 film directed by and starring Jean Cocteau. It is considered the final part of the Orphic Trilogy, following The Blood of a Poet (1930) and Orphée (1950). In the cast are Charles Aznavour, Lucia Bosé, María Casares, Nicole Courcel, Luis Miguel Dominguín, Daniel Gélin, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Serge Lifar, Jean Marais, François Périer and Françoise Sagan.

It also includes cameo appearances by Pablo Picasso and Yul Brynner. The film is in black-and-white, with just a few seconds of color film spliced in.

Not to Be Tolerated

« Je n’accepte pas que l’on me tolère. Cela blesse mon amour de l’amour et de la liberté. »

(“I will not agree to be tolerated. This damages my love of love and liberty.”)

Jean Cocteau

 

Jean Cocteau with Man-Horse on the set of Testament d’Orphée. Photo by Lucien Clergue. Les Baux de Provence, 1959