Listen to Rappeneau's Commentary The Second Time You See Thi
C. J. Gillis | Fitchburg, WI United States | 12/12/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first time that I watched this movie, I enjoyed it for its beautiful Art Deco sets and its pre-war fashions as worn by well chosen actors, playing in this 30's style screwball comedy.
The movie showed Parisians who were trapped in Bordeaux as they chose the "roles" they would "play" during the war -- as collaborators or resistance fighters -- splitting the society of their country into shards.
If you just watch this movie this way, it's worth a 3 or 4 star rating. If you then watch the whole DVD over again, this time with director Jean-Paul Rappeneau's voice-over commentary, the movie will be worth a 5+ star rating.
Why?
One: This core of this movie is based on the director's own memories of that time as his parents and their small children fled Paris for the south of France before invading Germans. The children that he showed in the move, were representative of himself at the same age, as he viewed most adults there becoming children before his eyes.
Thus, you can look at this movie as a historical film because it is a fictional comedy- drama set in a historical cusp -- a real time of chaos and personal choices when lives and France itself began to change forever.
Two: For anyone who loves good movies as I do, this is one of the best director commentaries that I've ever listened to, because the director tells how he made this visually complex movie with a combination of new and famous actors, and with new and old film techniques.
I watched this movie 2 and 1/2 times last night, and thoroughly enjoyed it . And I'm going to watch it again tonight."
Fine moviemaking
True North | Edmonton | 12/16/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My wife and I enjoyed this wonderful movie. The acting is superb, the script never dull, and the photography is simply beautiful. You can't go wrong with this one. If you want to see another great movie by French director Jean-Paul Rappeneau, try The Horseman on the Roof starring Juliette Binoche. It is a masterwork."