Melo

In Paris in the 1920s, a concert violinist meets and falls in love with a stylish young flapper ? the wife of an old friend. Romaine instigates the affair with Marcel, and carries it forward even as her husband, Pierre, falls ill.

Director: Alain Resnais
Cast: Sabine Azéma, André Dussolier, Pierre Arditi, Fanny Ardant
French/112"/Colour/1986

In Paris in the 1920s, a concert violinist meets and falls in love with a stylish young flapper who's the wife of an old friend. Romaine instigates the affair with Marcel, and carries it forward even as her husband, Pierre, falls ill.

She may even be purposely giving Pierre a treatment that adds to his misery. After Marcel returns from a concert tour and Romaine stoops to a new low in abandoning Pierre for an assignation, she reconsiders the affair and takes a drastic step. Without meaning to, they fall in love.

Three years later, Pierre pays Marcel a visit to demand the truth. Will the jealous and aggrieved Marcel manage a convincing performance?

All of Resnais' astuteness and intelligence lie in starting with the shabbiest gimmick and ending with the pure truth with a final scene between the two men that is truly rare beauty.

HT Image

With serene elegance, he handles a story that is terribly cruel, even sordid... classic indeed.

Credits
Production: Marin Karmitz
Screenplay: Alain Resnais
Cinematography: Charlie Van Damme