Main Cast: Melvil Poupaud, Amanda Langlet, Aurelia Nolin, Gwenaëlle Simon
Release Year: 1996
Country: FR
Run Time: 113 minutes
Plot
The third film in Eric Rohmer's Tales of the Four Seasons quartet takes place in a resort town in Brittany. Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud) has come to enjoy a vacation with his girlfriend, Lena (Aurelia Nolin). However, Lena has yet to arrive, and Gaspard finds his attention drawn to two other women: Margot (Amanda Langlet), a captivating waitress who makes it clear that she only wants friendship, and Solene (Gwenaëlle Simon), a friend of Margot's who isn't against the idea of a brief fling but demands to be treated with the utmost respect. Over the next three weeks, it becomes clear to Gaspard that he must choose among the three women, but who should it be? The final episode in the series, Conte d'Automne, was released two years later. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Eric Rohmer once again proves that in matters of the heart, one can never predict what will actually happen, no matter how much one tries to stage-manage events. Young Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud) goes for a summer holiday on the seacoast of France, waiting for the woman whom he thinks he loves, Lena (Aurelia Nolin). But soon he meets and becomes involved in an extended intellectual and perhaps romantic relationship with Margot (Amanda Langlet), a young woman who works as a waitress in a restaurant. As the relationship deepens, Gaspard begins to wonder whom he is really in love with, and his conversations with Margot become more intense. With the gorgeous French seaside as a visual backdrop, Rohmer once again keeps up guessing, as we watch the characters thrust, parry, and then withdraw, all the while concealing their true emotions from the viewer, and often from themselves. Rohmer's romantic odyssey is fresh, original, and deeply personal, making this a film for the thoughtful viewer, who appreciates the nuances of human interaction. As always, Rohmer as a filmmaker demands patience and intellectual involvement from his audience; and as always, the time invested is well rewarded by the film's surprising conclusion. ~ Wheeler Winston Dixon, All Movie Guide
Gaspard, the main character, arrives on holiday in a small Breton seaside resort. He awaits his girlfriend, Lena, who does not arrive. Only a short while after this, he crosses paths with the waitress Margot, and they develop a strong friendship; Gaspard also has a fling with Solène, Margot's adventure-seeking friend. Lena eventually does turn up, and by this time, Gaspard has become attached to all three women.
Gaspard (Melvil Poupaud) is a young mathematician/musician vacationing by the seaside in Brittany, France before starting a new job. The film covers roughly three weeks in his life and introduces us to the trio of women he encounters during that time. First is Margot (Amanda Langlet), a cheerful waitress who enjoys spending time with Gaspard, but isn't interested in more than a friendship. Solene (Gwenaëlle Simon) is more affectionate and sensual - she's willing to have a relationship with Gaspard if he will commit to only her. Then there's Lena (Aurelia Nolin), Gaspard's longtime semi-girlfriend whose ambiguous romantic attitude towards him keeps him in a state of constant consternation. As the summer wears on, Gaspard finds himself increasingly torn between the three women, finding each the most appealing when he's with her, and recognizing that the day is fast approaching when he will have to choose. [[1]]
