Based on the novel by Jules Verne, Le Rayon vert (The Green Ray) is the story of a Parisian woman who copes with her loneliness while on her summer vacation. Directed by Eric Rohmer and screenplay by Rohmer and Marie Riviere, the film is the fifth part in a thematic series entitled Comedies and Proverbs that follows a woman as she copes with her surroundings in this summer vacation. Starring Marie Riviere, Beatrice Romand, Rosette, Carita, Vincent Gauthier, Amira Chemakhi, and Maria Luisa Garcia. Le Rayon vert is a majestic and somber film from Eric Rohmer.
The film follows a woman whose vacation plans with a friend and her boyfriend is cancelled as she struggles to find enjoyment in her vacations as she also deals with loneliness. It’s a film with a loose and simple premise that does use Jules Verne’s novel as a reference but also be mentioned as it relates to a rare phenomenon that is a green ray of light during sunset as it would be a key moment for its protagonist Delphine (Marie Riviere) to want to experience. The film’s script by Eric Rohmer and Marie Riviere doesn’t do much with Verne’s novel in order to explore Delphine’s own doubts and uncertainty as she would go on vacations around various locations in France and then briefly return to Paris as she would be accompanied by a friend to a location and meet different people but feel unfulfilled.
Rohmer’s direction is ravishing in its presentation as it is shot on various locations in France where Paris is featured prominently yet the places that Delphine goes to such as Cherbourg, the French Alps, Biarritz, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Rohmer would use wide shots of these locations yet he aims for something more intimate as it relates to Delphine’s own personal journey as the first act mainly takes place in Cherbourg as Delphine is with one of her friends in Francoise (Rosette) as they meet other travelers where despite befriending a few kids. Delphine becomes lost as Rohmer would film these conversations through close-ups and medium shots while knowing when to move the camera as it often gazes into a conversation about ideas that Delphine believes in which would go on for a few minutes. The second act is partially set in Paris and the French Alps where she returns to the former to see tourists and locals enjoy the location but she is unable to find happiness as she is being flirted with a man whom she’s not interested in.
The scene in the French Alps play into this air of un-fulfillment and uncertainty where Rohmer would shoot Delphine on the mountains hiking as she becomes uninterested in her surroundings and then decides to return home. Early in its third act in Biarritz, she would listen to a group of elderly people talking about books including the book that the film is partially based on. It is a moment that has Delphine trying to find some meaning in her life as she would meet a Swedish tourist in Lena (Carita) that would lead to some major revelations about herself and the world she’s in. Even as the people who are her friends are with someone or are attached with Delphine struggling to understand what women will do to have someone in their life. The film’s ending relates to that green ray of light as it’s something Delphine would want to see but it would be in the most unexpected ways. Overall, Rohmer crafts a touching yet enchanting film about a woman’s summer vacation that leads to a journey of identity.
Cinematographer Sophie Maintigneux does brilliant work with the film’s 16mm cinematography with its grainy look for some of the interiors as well as maintaining its usage of natural lighting for many of the film’s locations. Editor Maria Luisa Garcia does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and conversations. Sound mixer Dominique Hennequin and sound recordist Claudine Nougaret do terrific work with the sound in capturing the atmosphere of the locations as well the overlapping conversations between people in some scenes. The film’s music by Jean-Louis Valero is superb for its plaintive and low-key string-based score that play into Delphine’s melancholic mood as it appears sparingly throughout the film.
The film’s wonderful cast feature some notable small roles from Beatrice Romand as a friend of Delphine living in Paris, Amira Chemakhi as a woman Delphine meets in Paris, Maria Luisa Garcia as Delphine’s friend Manuella who offers Delphine to go to Ireland, Carita as the Swedish tourist in Lena, Rosette as Delphine’s friend Francoise, and Vincent Gauthier as a man named Jacques that Delphine would meet late in the film. Finally, there’s Marie Riviere in an incredible performance as Delphine as a woman whose plans for a vacation with her boyfriend and a friend is cancelled prompting her to go on a vacation on her own where she travels to various places in France as she deals with her loneliness where Riviere displays a restraint and melancholia to a woman who deals with trying to enjoy herself and connect with others as it play into expectations she can’t live up to.
Le Rayon vert is a phenomenal film from Eric Rohmer that features a spectacular performance from Marie Riviere. With its low-key yet simple premise, exploration of loneliness in a vacation setting, and the gorgeous locations in France, it’s a film that explores a woman coming to terms with who she is through an unconventional summer vacation as well as to experience a rare event in the world. In the end, Le Rayon vert is a sensational film from Eric Rohmer.
Eric Rohmer Films: (The Sign of Leo) – The Bakery Girl of Monceau - Suzanne's Career - (Paris vu par-Place de l‘Etoile) – La collectionneuse - My Night at Maud's - Claire's Knee - Love in the Afternoon (1972 film) - (L’enfance d’une ville) - (The Marquis of O) - (Perceval le Gallois) - (Catherine de Heilbronn) - (The Aviator’s Wife) - (Le Beau Mariage) – Pauline at the Beach - (Full Moon of Paris) - (Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle) - (Boyfriends and Girlfriends) - (Les Jeux de societe) - (A Tale of Springtime) - (A Tale of Winter) - (L’Arbre, le maire et la mediatheque) - (Le trio en mi bemol) - (Les Rendez-vous de Paris) - (Summer’s Tale) - (Autumn Tale) - (The Lady and the Duke) - (Triple Agent) - (Romance of Astrea and Celadon)
© thevoid99 2019
Written and directed by Eric Rohmer, Pauline a la plage (Pauline at the Beach) is the story of a teenage girl who spends the summer with her older cousin as they both endure love and complications relating to love. The third film in a thematic series known as Comedies and Proverbs, the film is an exploration of a young girl dealing with first love while her cousin tries to find fulfillment through love and sex only to deal with its shortcomings. Starring Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory, and Feodor Atkine. Pauline a la plage is a rich and intoxicating film from Eric Rohmer.
The film revolves around a 15-year old girl and her older cousin as they spend the summer on the beaches of Normandy where they both encounter love with some complications along the way. It’s a film with a simple premise as its writer/director Eric Rohmer play into a young woman dealing with first love but also a cousin trying to find fulfillment through sex and love as they both deal with complications with love. Notably as the titular character (Amanda Langlet) is being persuaded by her cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle) to find someone as she meets an old flame in Pierre (Pascal Greggory) who is wind-surfing and is willing teach both women to wind-surf.
Yet, the emergence of a middle-aged man named Henri (Feodor Atkine) would change everything as Marion would pursue Henri much to Pierre’s chagrin while befriending Pauline who would also have her own first taste of love in a young man similar to her age in Sylvain (Simon de la Brosse). Still, Pauline does ask questions about love getting different ideas and answers from Marion, Pierre, and Henri which would add to confusion as well as complications for all involved. Most notably a moment where Pierre sees a naked woman in Henri’s home that would raise a lot of questions while Pauline and Marion were out visiting Mont Saint-Michel.
Rohmer’s direction is low-key in its approach to simplicity where it is shot on location in the beaches of Normandy as well as nearby locations including Mont Saint-Michel. While it features some wide shots in some of the locations as well as lot of coverage into the beaches that Pauline and the other characters go to. Much of the direction has Rohmer maintain an intimacy in his usage of close-ups and medium shots that play into these people falling in and out of love with Pierre still having feelings for Marion but is cautious into not wanting to hurt her. Even as he befriends Pauline whom he knows is too young for her but wants to ensure that she doesn’t go through some of the mistakes he and Marion made. The scene where Pierre sees this woman named Louisette (Rosette) naked at Henri’s home, it would become this moment in the film that play into not just morals but also if Pierre should tell Marion about what he saw.
Rohmer would create some compositions that play into the drama as well as shots of Pauline standing on a beach looking at the ocean. Particularly as it symbolizes this need of uncertainty and excitement yet it can also be unforgiving just like love can be. Rohmer would open and close the film with a shot of a cottage gate as it also symbolizes the start and end of something as it relates to Pauline and Marion. The latter of which is a woman who had been married before to someone she didn’t love but still has a lot to offer although Henri would tell Pauline in a monologue about his fascination for Marion but not in a way that is expected which often arouses jealousy from Pierre’s point of view. Overall, Rohmer crafts an evocative and riveting film about a teenage girl and her adult cousin trying to find love in all of its complications at the beaches of Normandy.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its naturalistic yet colorful look of many of the daytime exterior scenes of the beaches and homes as well as the interiors for some of the scenes at night. Editors Cecile Decugis and Christopher Tate do excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few jump-cuts to play into the drama and bits of humor. Sound mixer Georges Prat does nice work with the sound to capture the sound of waves and other natural elements in the locations as well as scenes of music being played on a record player. The film’s music by Jean-Louis Valero is wonderful as it is largely music played on location that include elements of pop for the kind of music couples dance to.
The film’s superb cast feature some notable small roles from Marie Bouteloup as Henri’s young daughter who appears briefly in the film and Michel Ferry as a friend of Sylvain. Rosette is terrific as the candy basket seller Louisette as a woman that sells candy in the beach whom Henri is attracted to while Simon de La Brosse is fantastic as Sylvain as a teenage boy slightly older than Pauline who would become her boyfriend only to be roped into a situation created by Henri. Pascal Greggory is excellent as Pierre as a young windsurfer who was a former lover of Marion that expresses concern in her pursuit of Henri whom he isn’t fond of only to find himself trying to reveal some truths that would eventually put him into trouble.
Feodor Atkine is brilliant as Henri as a middle-aged man who lives in the beaches of Normandy as someone whom Marion would pursue yet is someone that wants more as he also befriends Pauline while trying to explain to her his desires and wants in a woman that proves to be more than just physical. Arielle Dombasle is amazing as Marion as a woman that is eager to have a good time and wants to find the right man yet still has no clue in finding the right man due to her own ideals and desire that would eventually confuse Pauline. Finally, there’s Amanda Langlet in an incredible performance as the titular character as a 15-year old girl who is trying to understand love as she would endure first love but also the many complications as it relates to Henri’s actions and how Sylvain gets roped in forcing her to try and understand everything as well as realize that there’s still so much to learn.
Pauline a la plage is a tremendous film from Eric Rohmer. Featuring a great ensemble cast, Nestor Almendros’ gorgeous cinematography, and its takes on love and desire seen by a young woman experiencing these things. It’s a film that is low-key in its presentation while asking many questions into what people want in a relationship as well as some of its fallacies. In the end, Pauline a la plage is a ravishing film from Eric Rohmer.
Eric Rohmer Films: (The Sign of Leo) – The Bakery Girl of Monceau - Suzanne's Career - (Paris vu par-Place de l‘Etoile) – La collectionneuse - My Night at Maud's - Claire's Knee - Love in the Afternoon (1972 film) - (L’enfance d’une ville) - (The Marquis of O) - (Perceval le Gallois) - (Catherine de Heilbronn) - (The Aviator’s Wife) - (Le Beau Mariage) - (Full Moon of Paris) - The Green Ray - (Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle) - (Boyfriends and Girlfriends) - (Les Jeux de societe) - (A Tale of Springtime) - (A Tale of Winter) - (L’Arbre, le maire et la mediatheque) - (Le trio en mi bemol) - (Les Rendez-vous de Paris) - (Summer’s Tale) - (Autumn Tale) - (The Lady and the Duke) - (Triple Agent) - (Romance of Astrea and Celadon)
© thevoid99 2019
