Although now regarded as a near-classic, the backlash against this
picaresque love story was pretty severe back in 1966. The film was
everywhere, and everyone who was anyone in the art-house circuit
checked it out. Yet many would despise it precisely because it was
such a hit. A Man and a Woman won the Grand Prize at Cannes, it was a
huge financial success in almost every country it was released, and it
won two Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film and Best Screenplay (it
was also nominated for Best Actress and Best Director). Watching it
today, it's obvious just what an influence it was on world cinema,
despite the naysayers.
The story is fairly simple. A widower
and a lonely script girl (Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee) find
solace from their complicated lifestyles in an evocative love affair.
Not very dissimilar from any American romance, but it is truly
indicative of "foreign films" of the 60s and 70s in the way
that it unfolds. Glances between lovers last forever, with little
dialogue spoken; conversations are heavy on the symbolism; scenes go
on for minutes and seem to last a lifetime. In a nutshell, everything
status quo filmgoers roll their eyes at. Yet A Man and a Woman
remains undervalued in part because it was simply too popular. Due to
its atypically user-friendly structure - at its core, it is an
effectively and strikingly simple film - it became more than just
another "good French movie," but a cultural phenomenon.
Considered too saccharine and "Hollywood" for many foreign-
film lovers, A Man and a Woman still should not be dismissed as an
artistic accomplishment simply because of its ticket sales. Claude
Lelouch's screenplay and directorial style are quite revelatory. He's
able to fuse improvisation in even the most intimate moments while
still retaining a sure hand and authoritative vision. Everything on
the screen feels organic and realistic, but Lelouche's use of kinetic
intercutting adds a sense of overreaching drama to an otherwise neo-
documentary film.
But perhaps that is the curse of the foreign-
language film. Blow-Up, Belle de Jour, and Polanski's Repulsion all
came out around the same time, but Lelouche's picture was too glossy
for an import, too traditional to be considered an edgy example of
"new cinema." A Man and a Woman is simply a well-made,
finely-crafted film that wasn't showy in its pretense. It went out of
its way to be sexy, multifaceted and introspective without utilizing a
showy brand of "auteur" sensibility. It's a fine film, one
with a simplistic but genuinely human edge to it. Box office be
damned.
Video: How Does The Disc Look?
Presented
in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, for a nearly 40 year-old film this
looks pretty darned good. Colors are strong and supple (blues and
grays are especially nice-looking) with nice, solid blacks. Contrast
is good despite the unusual use of film stocks. (Note that the film
alternates between black & white and color.) While detail is
overall impressive, the main problem is that many of the outdoor
scenes were shot with imperfections on the camera lens. More often
than not, there are pieces of dirt and even a stray hair on the image
that aren't due to flaws in the telecine process or even the condition
of the print itself, but in the actual production of the film. It's
not too noticeable, but when the rest of the picture looks so good,
it's kind of a drag to have such distractions mar a perfectly good
image. But still, a fairly strong transfer.
Audio: How Does
The Disc Sound?
Presented in its original French 1.0 mono,
the mix is appropriate to the original experience, although it would
have benefited from at least a good stereo remix. Dialogue is a bit
tinny, and loud sounds (especially the car race track scenes with
Trintignant) fuzz out. But at least the film's memorable score is
pleasing, and this is a well-balanced mix. One can't help but wish
Warner had done a little bit more with the soundtrack, but as it
stands it's not awful.
Also included is an English 1.0 mono
dub, English subtitles and Closed Captions.
Supplements:
What Goodies Are There?
There are two featurettes
included here, "37 Years Later With Claude Lelouche," and
"Un Homme et Une Femme." The first is a pretty standard
interview with the director. I's not completely riveting, but
Lelouche's discussion of how the film was shot in three weeks, edited
in three more weeks and then promptly finished is pretty amazing. The
second doc is more fascinating. It's a 22- minute look at the making
of the film made at the time of the film's original production, and it
shows the director explaining his vision along with some revealing
insights into the physical challenges of the movie. Very cool.
Also included are theatrical trailers for the original the
tremendously bad sequel, A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later. There is
also an awards list.
DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you
get when you pop the disc in your PC?
No ROM extras have
been included.
Parting Thoughts
Not a stellar
film, but A Man and a Woman should be seen nonetheless. This DVD
presents the film an an appropriately flattering light, with a fine
transfer and decent supplements. It doesn't benefit from the classic
status afforded many other films of its time, but hardcore romantics
out there should find it well worth checking out.
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