An Autumn Tale

Romance

Marie Rivière	Isabelle
Béatrice Romand	Magali
Alain Libolt	Gérald
Didier Sandre	Étienne
Alexia Portal	Rosine
Stéphane Darmon	Léo
Aurélia Alcaïs	Emilia
Matthieu Davette	Grégoire
Yves Alcaïs	Jean-Jacques
Claire Mathurin	Augustine (uncredited)

Director	Eric Rohmer
Writer	Eric Rohmer

A widow, Magali and best friend, Isabelle, a married book store owner, have known each other for years. Isabelle decides to place an advert in the local lonely hearts column in the hope that she can find a male companion for Magali... But when Magali sees Isabelle with a strange man she believes all manner of things... French dialogue with English subtitles.

This is the last in the 'Tales of the Four Seasons' series of films by Eric Rohmer, and it is just as accomplished as the other three. Rohmer's films (except the occasional historical foray) are always easily identifiable - full of laid back scenes, languid conversations, and the lack of much plot action.

The action, instead, occurs in the emotional lives of the characters, and in this case, in the life of a middle aged winemaker living in the beautifully filmed French countryside, who is tentatively looking for love with the help/interference of her friend. There are moments of affection, embarrassment, hope and real poignancy, and as always with Rohmer this is a film full of affection for its characters, through all their misunderstandings and struggles.

It's life affirming and leaves a glow of satisfaction, although this is not perhaps one for fans of Hollywood action thrillers to buy and devour. --Colin C.