Cheri

“Cheri’’ is based on a pair of novels by the French writer Colette, the first of which caused a scandal by turning the cliches of romantic fiction upside down. For one thing, Cheri is a man, a young and dissolute Parisian played with Pre-Raphaelite fragility by Rupert Friend. For another, his lover, Lea de Lonval (Pfeiffer), is several decades older than he. For a third, she’s a courtesan, recently retired. “Women who do what we do, no one else would understand,’’ Lea says. Well, yes, but we live vicariously through fiction. Colette knew that and so do movie producers.

Cheri’s mother, Madame Peloux (Kathy Bates), is a former courtesan herself, living opulently on the earnings of a professional mistress. She’s a battle-ax and a busybody - stuffed into her bodices like a sausage, Bates has a high old time - and she tosses her son to her friend Lea for a little toughening up. Six years later, the pair are still together, comfortable without ever confessing to emotional intimacy. That only comes when Madame Peloux arranges Cheri’s marriage to the innocent young Edmee (Felicity Jones).

Separated, Lea and Cheri maintain respective stiff yet wobbly upper lips. “Cheri’’ is a less tart story onscreen than on the page, and its keynote is pining. Pfeiffer and Friend each wilt in interesting ways, she with ladylike stoicism, he with brooding petulance, and Friend is a good enough actor to play to the thwarted little boy under the dashing young man.