The Story of Adele H.

The Story of Adele H.

Year: 1975

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: French

RomanceDramaHistory

Adèle Hugo, daughter of Victor Hugo, falls for British soldier Albert Pinson while her family lives in exile off England’s coast. Rejected, she follows him to Nova Scotia, assuming the name Adèle Lewly, but Albert continues to spurn her, deepening her obsessive quest to win his love.

Melancholic
Sad ending
Emotionally heavy
Medium intensity
Slow pacing
Moderate complexity

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Timeline & Setting – The Story of Adele H. (1975)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Story of Adele H. (1975). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1863-1864

The core events unfold in 1863–1864, during the American Civil War, when Halifax hosts British troops and controls movement of European passengers. The era is defined by rigid social codes, gender expectations, and limited avenues for unapproved romantic pursuit. The narrative also touches on the later years of Adèle's life, but the primary arc centers on this brief, fevered period of obsession and consequence.

Location

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Barbados, Paris, Guernsey, Saint-Mandé

Halifax serves as the initial backdrop: a British-occupied port town during the Civil War era, where a boarding house becomes a focal point for Adèle's longing. The film also traverses to Barbados under military reach, and later shifts to Paris and Guernsey, showing the reach of Adèle's world and the social networks surrounding Victor Hugo's family. These locations anchor the story in a 19th-century Atlantic world marked by travel, letters, and class-bound romance.

❄️ Halifax 🗺️ 19th century setting 🌍 Atlantic world 🏛️ Port town

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

Main Characters – The Story of Adele H. (1975)

Meet the key characters of The Story of Adele H. (1975), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Adèle Hugo

The film's central figure, Adèle is a passionate and unstable young woman who writes in her journal and pursues her love for Pinson with relentless fervor. Under the pseudonym Miss Lewly, she navigates boarding-house life, clinging to a dream of marriage despite social and familial disapproval. Her intensity gradually reveals a fragile psyche pushed toward paranoia and fantasy.

💘 Obsession 🧠 Fragile psyche 📝 Journaling

Lieutenant Albert Pinson

A British officer bound by duty, Pinson is emotionally distant and resistant to Adele's advances. He is aware of Adele's affection but refuses to marry, hampered by reality—gossip, debts, and consequences for his career. His steadfastness contrasts with Adele's volatility, highlighting the clash between obligation and desire.

💼 Military officer ⚖️ Duty vs love 🚫 Unrequited love

Mr. Whistler

A kind bookseller who offers writing materials and a gentle outlet for Adele's imagination. He becomes a quiet observer of her mania, and his gifts and concern hint at a compassionate, humane response to her distress. His later actions reveal a deeper connection to Adele's world through literature and letters.

📚 Bookseller 🤝 Kindness 🗝️ Gatekeeper of information

Dr. Murdock

The physician who examines Adele and uncovers the truth behind her letters, noting her connection to Victor Hugo. He represents rational medical scrutiny in a world of emotional excess, attempting to understand her state while acknowledging the consequences of her obsession.

🏥 Doctor 🧭 Medical scrutiny

Hypnotist

A figure Adele considers for forcing a marriage, revealed as a charlatan. The idea of control through hypnosis exposes the vulnerability of Adele's needs and the cheap theatrics of attempts to bend reality to her wishes.

🌀 Hypnosis 🃏 Charlatan

Mrs. Saunders

The hospitable boarding-house landlady who provides a haven for Adele’s presence in Halifax. Her household anchors the social setting of the narrative, serving as a stage for the intertwined fates of Adele, Pinson, and others.

🏠 Boarding house 🕊️ Social dynamics

Mr. Saunders

The boarder husband of Mrs. Saunders, sharing the domestic space where Adele's story unfolds. He participates in the everyday life of the boarding house and the larger social fabric that constrains Adele.

🏠 Boarding house 💬 Social norms

Mr. Lenoir

The notary who appears in the investigation of Adele's identity and the formalities surrounding her assertions about marriage. He embodies the procedural, legal side of 19th-century life that imposes limits on personal actions.

📜 Notary 🖋️ Legal affairs

Officer

An on-screen British officer (uncredited) whose presence places Adele within the wartime Halifax setting, underscoring the disciplined society she navigates.

🪖 Military presence 🗒️ Official duties

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

Major Themes – The Story of Adele H. (1975)

Explore the central themes of The Story of Adele H. (1975), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💘 Obsession

Adèle's fixation on Lieutenant Pinson drives the plot, turning longing into determination, stalking, and letters that blur the line between passion and control. Her journal becomes a record of fantasy and escalating desperation as she clings to a dream of marriage despite social and familial disapproval. Her intensity gradually reveals a fragile psyche pushed toward paranoia and fantasy.

🌀 Delusion

The character constructs a web of invented realities—claiming marriage, staging encounters, and attempting to manipulate outcomes—only to confront the harsh truth when others reveal his indifference. Hypnotic fantasies, misread signals, and mistaken identities fuel a spiral of self-deception. The film examines how belief can outpace reality and erode rational thought.

⚖️ Societal Pressure

The plot unfolds under strict 19th-century social codes that govern marriage, family consent, and female autonomy. Victor Hugo's letters, parental authority, and the looming asylum illustrate how institutions shape personal fate. Adèle's actions collide with these constraints, exposing the punitive potential of reputation and duty.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:24

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Obsessive Descent Dramas like The Story of Adele H.

Character studies of consuming fixations that lead to psychological ruin.If you were fascinated by the tragic, single-minded pursuit in The Story of Adele H., explore other movies about obsessive love and psychological unraveling. This thread gathers similar character-driven dramas where a quiet, consuming fixation leads to a character's downfall, perfect for viewers who appreciate heavy, melancholic stories.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a linear but intense character arc, where a protagonist becomes fixated on a person, ideal, or goal. Their reality blurs as the obsession grows, leading to a gradual but certain mental and emotional decline, often culminating in isolation or tragedy. The plot is a vehicle for psychological exploration.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their central theme of destructive obsession and their focus on a character's internal psychological collapse. They share a heavy emotional weight, a melancholic tone, and a deliberate pacing that allows the audience to witness the slow-motion tragedy of a life consumed by one idea.

Quiet Historical Melancholy like The Story of Adele H.

Slow-paced period pieces steeped in profound, personal sorrow.For viewers who appreciated the somber, reflective atmosphere of The Story of Adele H., this thread collects movies with a similar vibe. Discover other slow-burn historical dramas defined by a quiet, melancholic tone, where the weight of the past and personal tragedy create a deeply moving and heavy viewing experience.

melancholicsomberhistoricalquietlonelytragicreflectiveheavy

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread are typically linear character studies set against a richly detailed historical backdrop. The conflict is often internal or deeply personal, with the era's constraints adding to the character's sense of isolation or doomed fate. The narrative avoids large-scale action in favor of intimate emotional portrayal.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their specific blend of a historical setting with a quiet, melancholic, and heavy emotional tone. The similarity lies in the overall vibe: a slow, somber, and deeply sad experience that uses the past to explore timeless themes of loneliness, loss, and unfulfilled desire.

Unlock the Full Story of The Story of Adele H.

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The Story of Adele H. Summary

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The Story of Adele H. Summary

The Story of Adele H. Timeline

Track the full timeline of The Story of Adele H. with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

The Story of Adele H. Timeline

More About The Story of Adele H.

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