Autumn Tale

I was working on my computer with the tv nearby, and I happened upon a French film on cable. I didn't think I was particularly in the mood to read subtitles, but as I glanced at the screen, bits of the story began to pull me in. Before I knew it, over an hour and a half had passed. I wasn't familiar with any of the actors, which probably made the story of two very good friends and their loved ones even more compelling to me. Now I'd be interested in seeing anything else featuring Marie Rivière or Béatrice Romand. Rivière was engaging as a vulnerable yet capable business woman, and Romand had a quiet and powerful energy as a widow who seems to have retreated into the "safety" of working on her vineyard. Romand made me laugh at times with her moments of "attitude" and temper, and Rivière kept me guessing what was coming next. The story unfolded nicely. I found myself on the edge of my seat much of the time. The story is somewhat of a cautionary tale in some ways, yet very realistic in terms of human nature and relationships. There were some actions and situations I found to be less than appropriate, but in some ways the screenwriter seems to possibly have the same view... This movie is a must-see for people interested in the politics of dating, match-making, romance, and friendship.

I somehow managed to miss this when it came out, despite being a Rohmer fan since the 70s. It was a heartbreaking disappointment - I was so aware of the acting (ie they were actors, not characters) and the selfconscious and deeply unlikely dialogue and plot contrivances. So unlike the his naturalistic previous films, that made you feel you were eavesdropping and observing snippets of real life. The basic premise could have been so promising - a feisty widow in her middle years, torn between wanting a man in her life yet afraid of making the move to find one and her kindhearted friend, secure in her relationship, trying to help her. Apart from Magali, who was oddly realistic if irritating, none of the other characters rang true -except perhaps Leo and Isabelle's husband who were barely painted in at all. Rosine trying to fix up her ex-lover with her current boyfriend's mother? - I can sort of understand her feelings toward Magali, as I remember being more upset about losing the friendship I had with an ex's mother when we parted, than losing the ex himself, but this really got into some odd quasi-incestuous fields. Lovely as she is, I can't really see men reacting to Rosine's manipulations as calmly as Etienne and Leo did here. And Gerald - his reaction on being told he had been strung along was unlikely - he confessed he has started to have feelings for Isabelle, but seemed quite happy to take the substitute.In reality, I think Isabelle would have been left sitting there in the restaurant. On a more positive note, there was a real feel of the Rhone Valley - not the tourist dream, but a part hardworking rural, part industrial reality that is modern France.

My first viewing of an Eric Rohmer movie leaves not longing to view any more. Though this movie can be applauded for its' luxurious character development and slow pacing in a time of whiz-bang, cut/cut/cut movies, it definitely pushed my viewing patience. Giving time to the little moments can be very nice, but something is wrong here. Painfully loud wind noises, redundant slow drives down the same road, awkward acting that is give too much time at one camera angle, actors obviously playing it up for the camera, and so on.... It seemed like a good romantic getaway movie, but quickly turned into a yawner. There are some good points, but unless you have lots of time, find another movie. Sorry to be harsh, but that's the way I see it.

Pauline Kael once made the comment that she heard a man say, enthousiastically, "It's so French!" when coming out of a so-so film, and hated the mixture of complacency and cultural one-upmanship contained in the remark. Rohmer appeals to snobs, mainly: people who disdain American films because they are made with big budgets and bankable stars, and the story had better move forward. This is Beatrice Romand's sixth film with Rohmer, Marie Riviere's seventh. By now the octogenarian director has gotten so stuck in the groove with these actresses he can direct in his sleep (I never felt that way with Bergman and Bibi Andersson, or Liv Ullmann). Push the Romand button, you get pouty obstinacy, arms crossed defiantly. Riviere gives you smiling indulgence, matronly charm--she's a sort of June Allyson. This is a really tiresome picture lacking story, characterization, social comment, any of the things I look for in French cinema. Rohmer is like one of those old singers who should have retired years ago, but the fans keep going to the shows because they're afraid to admit they're aging too. Avoid.

This one filled me with so much joy, a fellow viewer asked me to stay still on my chair. Last time I felt like it, I was watching Rear window. Beside, you get to see France grape farm in fall and 45 year old actress who played in other Rohmer flicks as teens and young adults. Just as long-lost friends who are going through same life cycle as I, the viewer. Probably the last of elderly Rohmer flick. Last scene during end-titles feels like a farewell to his public. I'll miss your flicks Eric. Thanks for everything.

For this, the last of his Tales of the Four Seasons, Eric Rohmer chose the somewhat pastoral setting of a vineyard in French wine country. It's the story of a middle aged winemaker who wants to find a man but isn't willing to look for one; essentially she hopes to encounter the perfect man by chance but she severely limits the likelihood of a meeting because she rarely ventures away from her work/home. Her two friends (who always visit her, never vice versa) each try to set her up with a man. Her older friend attempts to deceive her into thinking the man she has picked is a chance encounter while her younger friend, who happens also be dating her son, makes her intentions clear. Essentially what Rohmer is saying with this film is that passively expecting things to happen without working for them in any way is foolish. Faith is a key theme in Rohmer's work and this might be taken as a sort of critique of blind faith. When the winemaker is thrust into these romantic entanglements she reacts like a petulant child instead of a mature adult. The logical plans of her wordly friends are a sharp contrast to her own naivety. Still, this isn't some cold rejection of her character; in spite of her flaws the winemaker still has some admirable traits and things work out well for her. This is the difference between Rohmer and certain other directors who attempt to analyze human nature: he never lets his ideas overcome the realistic boundaries of human behavior and thus avoids the all too common pitfalls of misanthropy and didacticism. Like almost every Rohmer film I've seen, An Autumn's Tale expresses some truths about human nature with a captivating realism. However, this film didn't really speak to me the way some of his films do because I ultimately don't have much in common with the winemaker. It's still well worth watching, especially for people who have more in common with the central character.

Although the movie is enjoyable enough, I didn't like it very much. First of all, it takes a long time to go to the point, making the start of the movie a bit boring. The relationships between the characters are a bit funny and the way they behave too. Or maybe French people are like that in real life? (just joking). Anyway, when the main plot starts, the movie is quite enjoyable. I liked the character of Isabelle (the best actress in the movie for me). I didn't understand Rosine nor Magalie, maybe they were too deep for me (or very shallow perhaps).

I wish I understood French better---I feel that this must have been a masterpiece of comfortable, unforced dialogue. Even the English subtitles left me feeling that these were real people having real conversations. OPne thing that usually turns me off in a film is the sense that a conversation is a forced device of exposition---like Deborah Kerr's soliloquies. Everyone pulled this off very well. They just chatted comfortably through the film, and the audience caught enough of it to follow the story. And a decent enough story it was, with the delights and disappointments very well played through body language.

This was a little film with a simple plot and likable characters. In fact, Hollywood would learn a lot from films like this. It's not the dynamic plot, special effects or big name stars that often make a film exceptional, it's the writing and the acting! And this movie is written so lovingly and acted so honestly that I couldn't help but like it. This, despite the notable absence of the sensational elements in the movie, made for a wonderful film. Think about it--the basic plot is an older woman who owns her own small winery is lonely. So, her friend tries to find a man for her and so does her grown child. Talk about your simple plot! And yet it works! So if you are in the mood for something different, give this movie a try.

Even as a teenager I recognized that Pauline at the Beach and Claire's Knee were the products of a creepy pedophile - which is why hadn't bothered with Rohmer in umpteen years. But the trailer on Autumn's Tale looked good and since he would be treating late-in-life romance I thought maybe Rohmer had matured to the point of removing his own predilections from his films. I was mistaken. Rohmer's female characters are thoroughly repulsive, naive nymphets or batty older women. He simply can't construct a realistic female character. The nymphet in this one meanders across the screen unable to keep here shawl from slipping from her shoulders. Its suppose to be seductive but it makes her look stupid. But the biggest problem with this movie is that it "tells" instead of "shows". Everybody says everybody else is interesting, deep, profound, philosophic. But, we miss all these scenes where everybody (the women) are being profound and philosophical. In the end its like watching a filmed play where all the interesting things said and done by the leads happen off stage. Yuck. Never again will I'm be taken in my Rohmer.