French Nouvelle Vague at the Cinematheque

From July 3 - August 22, Cinematheque Ontario presents French New Wave – films by French directors Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Jacques Rivette, Eric Rohmer and Francois Truffaut.

These films move away from the studio type artificial feel and are characterized by stories regarding real people in real situations.  These directors use innovative styles like jump cuts, real time and actors that resemble real people.  Sadly only Rohmer, Chabrol, Godard and Rivette are still with us today.  But they are still active making films.

These directors’ work have influences many modern filmmakers today.  As for myself, I was so fascinated by Truffaut’s films as a teenager in Singapore that I decided to take French in order to understand his films.

For more information on French New Wave, Read the article The New Wave at 50 in the recent issue of SIGHT & SOUND (May 2009) that explains thoroughly the new wave movement.

For more information on the films showtimes, ticket information and theatre venue, please check the Cinematheque website at:
http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca

The complete list of films:

À DOUBLE TOUR (A.K.A. LÉDA)
ADIEU PHILIPPINE
ALL BOYS ARE CALLED PATRICK (TOUS LES GARÇONS S’APPELLENT PATRICK)
ALPHAVILLE
AND GOD CREATED WOMAN (ET DIEU CRÉA LA FEMME)
BAD COMPANY (LES MAUVAISES FRÉQUENTATIONS)
BAND OF OUTSIDERS (BANDE À PART)
BREATHLESS (À BOUT DE SOUFFLE)
ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS
ÉLOGE DE L’AMOUR (IN PRAISE OF LOVE)
JULES AND JIM (JULES ET JIM)
LA COLLECTIONNEUSE
LA FILLE COUPÉE EN DEUX (A GIRL CUT IN TWO)
LE BEAU SERGE
LES AMOURS D’ASTRÉE ET DE CÉLADON
LES BONNES FEMMES
LES COUSINS
LES GODELUREAUX (THE WISE GUYS)
LES MISTONS (THE BRATS)
LOLA
MADE IN USA
MASCULIN FÉMININ (MASCULINE FEMININE)
MÉDITÉRRANÉE / SUZANNE’S CAREER / LOVE EXISTS
MY NIGHT AT MAUD’S (MA NUIT CHEZ MAUD)
NE TOUCHEZ PAS LA HACHE (THE DUCHESS OF LANGEAIS)
PARIS NOUS APPARTIENT (PARIS BELONGS TO US)
PIERROT LE FOU
SANTA CLAUS HAS BLUE EYES
SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER (TIREZ SUR LE PIANISTE)
THE 400 BLOWS (LES QUATRE CENTS COUPS)
THE GIRL AT THE MONCEAU BAKERY (LA BOULANGÈRE DE MONCEAU) THE NUN (LA RELIGIEUSE)
THE SIGN OF LEO (LE SIGNE DU LION)
UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME (A WOMAN IS A WOMAN)
UNE HISTOIRE D’EAU (A STORY OF WATER)
VIVRE SA VIE (TO LIVE HER LIFE)

Capsule reviews:_

LA BOULANGERE DE MONCEAU (France 1962) ****
Directed by Eric Rohmer

The first of Eric Rohmer’s 6 moral tales, this 23 minute short THE GIRL AT THE MONCEAU BAKERY packs quite the punch.  Within the short time span, Rohmer deals out what can be established as his style, purpose and connection of his later 5 films.  The story revolves around a university undergraduate (director Barbet Schroeder in an acting role) who has decided that a girl he passes by on the street is the girl for him.  After stalking her for what must have been ages, he finally sums up the courage to speak to her.  But fate (as in all of Rohmer’s films) plays a part and she (Michele Giradon) has an injury that prevents her from walking.  The young man distracts himself with pastries that lead him to meet the girl at the Monceau bakery (Claudine Soubrier).  Rohmer’s film contains lots of voiceover to explain the emotions of his characters but the device works ending in an utterly delightful romantic (moral?) comedy.

(Screening at 7 pm on Jul 6th Monday at the Cinematheque Ontario)

A DOUBLE TOUR (LEDA) (WEB OF PASSION) (France 1959) ****
Directed by Claude Chabrol

A whodunit which is really not a whodunit!  French new wave director’s psychological thriller A DOUBLE TOUR is a disturbing but ultimately satisfying murder mystery set in a wealthy vineyard estate in Provence, France.  The patriarch, Henri Marcoux (Jacques Dacqmine) despises his wife Thérèse (Madeleine Robinson) and makes no qualms about it, almost bashing her head in a mirror in one fight scene.  He flirts secretly, then openly with his mistress (Antonella Lualdi) who is eventually done in.  When the identity of the killer is revealed way before the film’s end, it becomes clear that director Chabrol has more in mind than a whodunit film.  Chabrol exposes deception, un-surfaced emotions (homosexuality and incest) and other nasties of the Marcoux family.  These are brought out into the open with the arrival of an equally open and blatant visitor to the estate, in the form of the daughter’s lover, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo.  Madeline Robinson went on to win Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival and a very young Bernadette Lafont has the role of the flirty not-too-bright maid, Julie who drives all the males of the household wild with sexual desires.  In case you are wondering, A DOUBLE TOUR is a French saying that means getting screwed twice, as if once is not enough.

(Screening at 8.45 pm on Jul 25th Saturday at the Cinematheque Ontario)

UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME (France 1961) ****
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard

To me, Godard’s UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME is the breeziest of all the French new wave films.  The film tells the love relationship of striptease dancer Angela (Anna Karina) with her lover Emile (Jean-Claude Brialy).  When they argue about having a baby, she turns to Emile’s best pal, Alfred (Jean-Paul Belmondo) who constantly professes his love for her.  A tribute to American musicals, though the film is nothing like them – anything in this film can happen and does.  The lovers argue and since they are not speaking to each other, communicate via the titles of books.  Thoughts are expressed verbally, fast-motion and quick edits appear often and simple but effective film techniques used.  Godard also references fellow New Wave director Truffaut with a cameo by Jeanne Moreau in her JULES ET JIM movie.  Colorful, musical, innovative, funny and of course breezy, UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME is ultimate delight.

(Screening at 7 pm on Jul 3rd Friday at the Cinematheque Ontario)

JULES ET JIM (France 1961) ****
Directed Francois Truffaut

One of the most beautiful yet complex films about relationships, Truffaut’s JULES ET JIM based on the novel by Henri-Pierre Roche, tells of the strong friendship between two artists Jules (Oskar Werner) and Jim (Henri Serra) even as they share their love for a strong willed woman, Catherine (the excellent Jeanne Moreau).  Through two world wars and various tests, Jules and Jim maintain their friendship.  Truffaut weaves a very believable and intricate tale of emotions, romance and loyalties aided by superb performances by his three leads and a grand musical score by Georges Delerue.

(Screening at 9 pm on Jul 4th Jul at the Cinematheque Ontario)