What things make you happy Joe
French movies
I love French cinema
Because there seems to be a freshness in these movies
Have you a favourite genre
I like their gangster movies and their thrillers
But most of all I like their summer movies
Summer movies
Yes
What is a summer movie
It is a movie that is shot or at least set during the summer months
Why do you like these movies
Because one can almost feel the heat
Even if one is remote
Without fail these movies seem to be populated by beautiful women
I have read that you consider that French women are the most beautiful in the world and this has caused a hostile reaction in some quarters
I was misquoted
I actually said that French women on the whole are the most feminine in the world which is pretty obvious
French women on the whole are very beautiful and their femininity just showcases this
It is all down to the French language and the accompanying mannerisms
They just seduce me
I cannot really see why my remarks caused upset
Did you not once say that when you travel on the Metro then it is like being in the pages of Vogue
Yes
Did you not also say when travelling on the Underground it is like being in the pages of Farmers Weekly
Yes
Some people found that offensive
It was a humour that was all
Treat it as a humour
Were you offended by my humour
A little as I am an English girl
You are an English Rose
You are very beautiful
If I was a French film director then I would cast you in my next movie
I do not know if you are being serious Joe
I am being serious Miss Mills
Everybody calls me Rebecca
But back to more serious things as the subject of this interview is about your favourite things
Sorry Miss Mills
The reason that I adore what I term my summer movies is that they are so languid and have an eroticism that is as smooth as velvet
French movies are known for the unusual amounts of female nudity in them
I cannot think of a French actress who has not disrobed
Does this upset you
No but I feel that is can be seen as a kind of exploitation
No more than in any other country
If you were an actress Miss Mills would you think about disrobing on screen
Heavens no
Why
Because I am too shy
I think that you are inhibited
If you look at French cinema then a majority of the nudity in these summer movies is casual
Very rarely are there these pounding love scenes shot mostly in shadow with writhing greased bodies engaged in all kinds of gymnastics
Just watch some of the Eric Rohmer movies which contain little or no nudity
They are sometimes intensely erotic
A glance
A touch
Silence
Claire’s Knee is a great example
Have you seen it
No
Do catch it when you can
Although you tend to wear less in the summer you do not walk around naked all the time
Unless you are a nudist beach
People cover themselves even on a nudist beaches Miss Mills
The sun you see can be dangerous
Forgive me that as a silly remark
My summer movies are full of colour and for some reason are very chic
They never seem to work too hard
The way to be chic Miss Mills is by trying not to be chic
It works you know
Thank you for that Joe
Seriously you are not a lost cause Miss Mills
I will take that on board
Do you have a favourite summer movie Joe
No really I have many but two spring to mind
Those being
One Deadly Summer
I cannot say that I have heard of it
It is a French thriller with Isabelle Adjani
On the whole it is not very nice
Dreadful things happen
People die
But it is still a languid summer movie
And so very very French
In a Wild Moment is the other movie that I think of
It is a joy from beginning to end
Nothing really happens but a lot happens
The plot is wafer thin
Two friends and their daughters holiday together in Southern France
One of the daughters is rather promiscuous and seduces one of the fathers
It is a comedy so light that you are almost waiting for it to break in half
There is a wonderful scene on a beach
In which the Agnes Soral character Francoise argues and chases Pierre
They are arguing and Pierre is trying to hide from his best friend for obvious reasons
For the whole scene Francoise is topless but the scene which if done incorrectly might have seemed exploitative
But this just adds to the fun
It is a very subtle and funny scene due to its casual nature
It sounds a nice movie to watch
The movie has been remade twice since then
Blame it on Rio was the English language remake and it was everything that the original French movie was not
It was as subtle as a car crash and very very exploitative
I absolutely hated it
The movie was remade again a few years ago in France and was in my view rather good but it lacked the innocence of the original
That’s all Joe
Is it a wrap Miss Mills
I am afraid so
It has been nice speaking to you
You just need to loosen up
People warned me that you were direct and I should have found that nature of remark insulting
But I feel that I have just conducted one of my most enjoyable interviews in years
You have no ego Joe and that is so refreshing
Many of those who I interview are just egos
They are very tiresome
You cannot ask this question or that question
I answer all questions Miss Mills
But why no ego
I am a poet
If you have an ego and you are a true poet then you will soon fall into the gutter
Thank you Joe
The pleasure is all mine