Toute une vie

Lelouch, the master of finding the humour and tragic desperation within human relationships has crafted a signature piece of romance for all us romantics. One annoying flaw is repetitiveness that could have been better edited, but the grand perspective is well worth the extra half hour. The film misses greatness but is well worth watching.

I loved this film when it first appeared in 1974 and I had waited a long time to see it again. It was just as wonderful as the first time with a big caveat. Reviewers here mention the fact that the version of this film now distributed on DVD in the US contains content that was not part of the film's original release in the US in the 1970's. Someone at IMDb who knows a lot more about this than I do -- should clearly explain this in the capsule summary on the film's front page. To be precise, the ending of the film in the "unedited" or better, "re-edited" version includes a ghastly ending sequence that ruins the ending. The version shown in the US in the 1970's showed a view through the airplane's window that was perfectly timed with the beginning of the credits rolling. That view through the plane window was both under-stated, elegant, and wonderful enough that it was my most stirring memory of this film and I was sadly disappointed to find it gone!

"And Now My Love" sums up the curious qualities of director Claude Lelouch. While his talents are in abundance he ultimately lacks the ability to pull it off. What has the makings of a classic in the final analysis can only be regarded as a failure.

In a masterly fashion, Lelouch deftly orchestrates the eventual meeting of a man and woman who destiny decrees should be together. It's a romantic notion that has been at the centre of numerous movies, but seldom so wittily and intelligently dished up as in "And Now My Love". The entire movie consists of the winding paths that the protagonists follow until their eventual meeting. Lelouch embroiders this process with historical fact, social criticism and much humor.

However the eventual meeting of the predestined coupling is something of a letdown. The chemistry simply isn't there. When the movie was first released it ended with this somewhat unsatisfactory finale. But despite the ending, the film as whole had enough charm to leave a favorable impression. However Lelouch must have been troubled by the poor resolution to his master work and in what can only be conceived as a desperate measure, he tacks on a truly ludicrous appendage, which instead of salvaging the film, completely sinks it.

His sci-fi ending is a disastrous artistic decision. Anything else would have been preferable. Unfortunately the DVD edition does not allow the option for viewing the edited version. So after well over two hours of much enjoyment one is subject to an ending which leaves a particularly bad taste.

I have seen the film just a few nights ago.I agree that the futuristic part is enigmatic but it is also magic. Leloush couldn't give it up for the best reasons,and it is very dramatic to the story/legend that he is trying to tell us here. That part was taken at turkey,on the biblical site in the goreme valley, a cave town called the "The Witches Chimney's"- directly referring the Holocaust. Also, it is both futuristic & prehistoric land. This is the birthplace of nations in the bible. A place not far from Eden and Arrarat mountain. His point of view is panoramic and spectacular in that sense, and vital to the film which is an allegory before everything else. He points us the ongoing clash of traditions, nationalities,international politics and genders in one film which makes it a masterpiece to me. He also rewrites a totally different story of a man & woman, his classic, in historic context, only after 8 years.

Loved it when it came in 1974, at 15 the fateful romance theme was intoxicating. Seeing it for the second time a few decades later, there was a slow stirring of emotions until the last 20 embarrassing minutes of which i had no recollection. Was relieved to read other user's reviews on this site, which explained the CD showed the unedited version. Now i know that i don't have Alzheimmer's. Heavy on the Schmaltz and platitudes, this time around i enjoyed rediscovering the songs of Gilbert Becaud. The lyrics of "Et maintenant" somehow sum up the movie and my relationship to it: the cherish memory of it has departed. At one point Sarah, (the main character) observes that one should not see again the people we have loved , and the same might apply to this movie.