Pauline at the Beach

Starring:Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory, FÃ©odor Atkine, Simon de La Brosse, Rosette, Michel Ferry, Marie Bouteloup
Director: Eric Rohmer
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

In the lighthearted third film in Eric Rohmer's "Comedies and Proverbs" series, 15-year-old Pauline (Amanda Langlet) gets an eye-opening lesson in the games grown-ups play on a two-week summer vacation with her recently divorced and ready-for-fun older cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle, every inch the vivacious blonde goddess). Smitten young Pascal Greggory turns aggressive with jealousy when the smooth, seductive, happily shallow writer Féodor Atkine wins the fancy of the "perfect" Marion while continuing to fool around on the side. The tangled affairs, mistaken identities, and white lies are the stuff of sex farce, but Rohmer is more interested in the folly of love and the impulsive, illogical workings of human nature. He deftly crafts a gentle and sexy little human comedy that ends with Pauline learning perhaps the right lessons after all. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Come take a leisurely, relaxing trip to the sun-soaked, sandy beaches of Brittany in this bewitchingly funny yet profoundly wise comedy (Vogue) from acclaimed French writer/director Eric Rohmer. Winner* for Best Direction at the Berlin Film Festival, Pauline at the Beach is delightful a film of summer sunlight, bare skin and escalating amorous misunderstandings (Newsweek). Young and beautiful Pauline is spending the end of the summer with her older and sexuallyalluring cousin Marion on the stunning Atlantic coast of France. And it isn't long before three eligible men attempt to entice them both into romance. But head games, deceit and lies soon interfere with the amorous mood, threatening to spoil this idyllic playground and Pauline's innocent views of love. *1983

Customer Reviews:

light-hearted pretension, but at least it ends pessimistically.......2007-02-15

This is a coming of age film about getting it while on vacation. Some people are too serious and gushing sincerity, some stupid and self-deluding, some simply lustful and selfish. Pauline observes it all and grows, in my view acting more maturely than the adults. And the ending is realistic. There is nothing slick about Rohmer's production, and I never particularly liked his style and pedantic philosophical monologues, which the French really DO indulge in, in my humble experience. This uncompromising search for true love is endemic with the French I know, and I admit it bores me after having dealt with it for many years. You really can learn from this, at least about French culture, if not how to fall into healthy love. That makes this a pretty good film and it has some funny and unexpected twists. And the end is wonderfully un-Hollywood.

One of Rohmer's best films, and the true nature of love..........2006-08-13

"Pauline At The Beach" (1983) is an interesting film that you are likely to enjoy, even if you are not one of Eric Rohmer's fans. If you are already an admirer, though, you will simply love this movie, due to the fact that it displays the reason why Rohmer is such a respected director.

Before talking about this film, a short introduction to Rohmer for those that are not familiar with him is in order. Rohmer (Jean Marie Maurice Schérer, born in 1920 in France) is part of "La Nouvelle Vague" (= "The new wave"), a movement that says that the director is an "author" and that as such, his personal signature is evident in his work. Among the most well-known films of this French director, there is a cycle of films called "Six Moral Tales", a series called "Comedies and Proverbs" (in which each film is based on a different proverb), and a third series entitled "Tales of the Four Seasons".

"Pauline At The Beach" (= "Pauline à la plage"») is the third film in the "Comedies and Proverbs" series, and the proverb around which it is centered is "Qui trop parole, il se mesfait". The plot is not difficult to follow, but it is interesting, specially if you pay close attention to the dialogues among the characters, a Rohmer trademark.

The main character is Pauline (Amanda Langlet), a young teenager that goes to the beach with Marion (Arielle Dombasle), a relative that has divorced recently and is ready for something new, in other words an affair. Pierre (Pascal Greggory), an old acquaintance and Henri (Feodor Atkine), a newcomer, vie for Marion's attention. Pauline thinks that Pierre is the right one for her cousin, but Marion has other ideas, preferring Henri. Henri is not as smitten with her as Pierre, but that, and the fact that he remains elusive, are part of his attraction from Marion's point of view. Pauline will also meet a young boy, Sylvain (Simon de La Brosse), with whom she begins something resembling a relationship. But how will her cousin's love life affect her own? And will their differing views regarding love affect their new relationships?

The dialogue about the true nature of love among Pauline, Marion, Pierre and Henry is one of the highlights of this film. The undercurrents between the older characters are deep, and in that sense, Pauline directness is refreshing. This dialogue also allows the spectator to get at least an idea of how things are going to end for each of the characters, even though, of course, there are some unexpected surprises.

All in all, I think this is one of Rohmer's best films, along with "A summer tale", "A winter tale" and "Boyfriends and girlfriends". Highly recommended!

Belen Alcat

Rohmer Gives Us a Delictable Morsel.......2006-03-21

Pauline at the Beach was part of Eric Rohmer's Comedies et Proverbes series. Each film explores relationships between men and women. This is a piece of fluff. But that is not a negative. This piece of fluff is truly delicious and a tasty morsel to be relished.

Pauline is a school girl who is finishing her summer holiday with her cousin Marion at a family seaside cottage. Marion is a fashion designer whose marriage has failed.

On their first day on the beach they meet Pierre, an old flame of Marion's and Henri a casual acquaintance of Pierre. Henri is also divorced and has a young daughter Marie.

Pierre invites all to dinner at his place. This scene is very important as each describes love and this is how the rest of the film is set in motion. Marion equates fidelity with true love. Pierre feels that true love must be eternal. Pauline feels that you must know the other person before you can fall in love. Henri believes that love is only in the present.

They all go dancing and Pierre lets Marion know that he is still in love with her but she lets him know that she loves him as a friend. At the end of the evening, Marion invites Henri back to her place. The next day Pierre is teaching Marion to windsurf and Pauline meets a boy her own age, Sylvan.

It doesn't take long for Henri to show his true colors when Marion and Pauline are away on a day trip, he finds another woman to play with him. He is almost caught by Marion but tells her that Sylvan and the woman were together. This leads to mass misunderstandings and everyone unhappy, well except Henri. In the end, Pauline finds out the truth but decides to let the lying dogs lay.

There is no real depth to the story but there is depth to direction and a marvelous cast.

DVD EXTRAS: None

Shocking.......2006-02-10

I remember this film from back in the day, so long ago that I couldn't recall whether I liked it or dissed it then. I was shocked, shocked to find this is a truly wonderful film. (I finally remembered how much I hated it back then...I thought Pauline and her boyfriend were the only honest characters in an otherwise dreary comedy of ill-adult-manners.)

Hah. Now I've been around the block a couple of times, and let me tell you, this film is a hoot. It can really take you back. All true. All real. In living color.

Vive la France!

Love in a number of dimensions.......2005-11-14

The third in Eric Rohmer's "Comedies and Proverbs" series, this movie depicts the hypocrisies of adult relationships as they occur in contrast to the open honesty of young (teenage) love. Pauline (Amanda Langlet) is a 15 year old spending the summer at the beach with her older cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle), a self-possessed and self-disillusioned woman.

Marion gives a haughty lecture at the beginning of the movie about her ideas of love, and then goes about making a sham of every one of them as she becomes involved with three men. One watches this woman and can't wait for her to get her come-uppance, which finally occurs - but it has no effect and she remains self-deluded. Meanwhile, Pauline meets a boy and has her own experiences and tends to view Marion's life from a distance. As usual Rohmer is right on target and insightfully funny. The photography of the coast of Normandy is beautiful.

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