Cast: Marie Rivière, Béatrice Romand, Alain Libolt, Didier Sandre, Alexia Portal
Director: Eric Rohmer
Producer: Margaret Menegoz
Screenplay: Eric Rohmer
Cinematography: Diane Baratier
U.S. Distributor: October Films
In French with subtitles
French film maker Eric Rohmer has been crafting movies for forty years, and his resume is dotted with classics like My Night at Maud's, Claire's Knee, Chloe in the Afternoon, and Boyfriends and Girlfriends. Few directors are capable of creating the kind of vivid characters found in Rohmer's features. No matter where the narrative takes us (and it's usually not far; plot is typically one of the least important elements of a Rohmer movie), we are guaranteed the presence of three elements: striking and intelligent dialogue, richly developed protagonists, and persuasive acting.
Over roughly the last decade, Rohmer has been taking his time turning out his Tales of Four Seasons cycle. The final chapter is Autumn Tale (Conte d'automne), which, in many ways, is the sunniest of the quartet. The picture is both penetrating and effervescent - a joyous romantic comedy filled with subtle humor and stunning performances. Unlike many directors, Rohmer allows his actors to take center stage as they chew on the lines he has given them; he never upstages them with scenery or visual gimmicks, and he never cuts away from scenes too quickly.
Autumn Tale centers on a middle-aged woman's quest for love. Magali (Béatrice Romand), the widowed owner of a vineyard and the mother of two grown children, is lonely for a romance. But, in her words, "At my age, it's easier to find buried treasure" than a man. Coming to her rescue is her best friend, Isabelle (Marie Rivière), who suggests that she place a Lonely Hearts ad. When Magali rejects the idea, Isabelle does it for her, then carefully interviews Gerald (Alain Libolt), who answers the ad. Soon, Isabelle has contrived a meeting between Magali and Gerald. However, she isn't the only one playing matchmaker. Rosine (Alexia Portal), Magali's son's girlfriend, decides to introduce Magali to a former flame of hers, Etienne (Didier Sandre). Complications arise when the men selected by Isabelle and Rosine both arrive to meet Magali in the same place at the same time. The result is a farcical scene of great warmth and intelligence, and one of the most overtly humorous sequences ever to appear in a Rohmer movie. With Autumn Tale, the director uses common romantic comedy plot elements, such as the mistaken identity, in new and thoroughly enjoyable ways.
It goes without saying that the acting is superlative across the board. Béatrice Romand and Marie Rivière don't just play their characters; they inhabit them. By the end of the film, we are convinced we have spent two hours with a group of likable, familiar friends. Romand is vivacious and attractive, but we can feel her loneliness and despair that late middle age may have robbed her of a last chance at romance. Also impressive is the supporting cast, which features Alain Libolt as the solid, reliable Gerald and Didier Sandre as Etienne, a stuffy professor still pining for lovely Alexia Portal's Rosine.
Autumn Tale isn't Rohmer's most impressive work; in fact, it's not even the best of the Tales of Four Seasons group (that honor belongs to A Winter's Tale), but it's a solidly entertaining effort - the kind of movie that can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates discerning comedy. There are a few minor missteps (the symbolism of the vineyards and their product is overdone), but those don't significantly detract from the viewing experience. The characters, their relationships, and the things they say to one another are the highlights of Autumn Tale.
© 1999 James Berardinelli