Summary
In the summer of 1939, on the eve of World War II, 13 year old Marie and her parents leave
Paris to spend a holiday with her grandmother in a small provincial town. Overhearing
frank discussion of sexual matters between the locals, Marie begins to discover her own
womanhood and starts to develop a crush on the local doctor, who is nearly 20 years her
senior. Then her father appears to walk out on her mother…
Review
Having established herself in the 1960s as one of France's greatest actresses, Jeanne
Moreau turned her talents to film making in the 1970s, where she directed two films.
This, her second film, is an uncompromising and somewhat nostalgic look at sexual awakening
in a young girl, set in the beautiful locale of the French provincial countryside.
Whilst visually the film is impressive, and we are treated to a fine performance from
another former acting legend, Simone Signoret, the film does lack depth and intimacy.
The latter half of the film when the young Marie becomes envious of her mother and conspires
to rekindle the passion between her parents has some touching moments but feels cold and
contrived.
Whilst not quite so impressive as Moreau's first film as a director (Lumière
), this film has some merits, not least of which is that it presents a refreshingly
honest examination of female adolescence.
© James Travers 2001
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