Il suffit d'aimer

Coming in between the classic Song of Bernadette and the later 1987 Bernadette, this movie falls somewhere in between. It more accurately portrays the life of Bernadette of Lourdes than the first, but continues to show her in a very pious light. This movie has some unique incidents, including the last apparition, but is not as entertaining as the other two. For some reason, miracles are downplayed. The movie seems most concerned with telling the story of Bernadette herself as a role model for young women. Unfortunately, not enough work is done to keep the viewer's attention. There are a few classic scenes, but overall this is the least of the three films.

While this version of Bernadette may not be as good as Bernadette starring Sydney Penny, it is certainly more historically accurate than the 1943 Song of Bernadette, a Hollywood made movie marked with numerous inaccuracies. Depicting Bernadette as a role model for women in no way detracted me from the film, as a matter of fact, Bernadette IS my role model. It does not go into the detail that Ms. Penny's movie does especially centering around the miracles, but it does depict her life and struggles, especially with the pundits who doubted her. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to realize that there is no way an illiterate, peasant girl could have known the term "Immaculate Conception", she could not have made it up nor heard of it, the film depicts her virtues which many of us today should emulate, a film worth watching.

Few legends have been woven from humbler stuff,and this particular encounter between one of the poorest peasant girls in a tiny village of the Pyrenées and "the Lady" led to events that shook not only my native France but the entire Christian world.

Lourdes has become the second Christian pilgrimage place in the world after Rome,the second hotel town in France after Paris.

Coming after "the song of Bernadette " ,unlike the latter,Darène's movie is not based on a biography but on a solid screenplay by writer Gilbert Cesbron whose lines go directly to the heart ;this is the first of the two French movies which tell Bernadette's extraordinary tale ,the second (and the first in color) being Jean Delannoy's "Bernadette" .

Cesbron's lines are wonderfully written :keyword is humility ; Bernadette came from the poorest family of her town who would live in a slum called "Le Cachot" (=the dungeon);she says she's ignorant (the admirable scene in which a nun asks her who God is ,and the good pupil who has learnt her lesson well and repeats it parrot fashion), she does not understand what she's been told by the "lady in blue" :the "Immaculate Conception " eludes her ; we never see the apparition and all her lines are told by the heroine or her neighbors ("she was told she would not find happiness in this world,but in the next one")

Bernadette disturbs :she comes against the knowing Church ,law and order ,before winning them over ;later,in the convent ,she's humiliated by the mother superior and she finds that normal,because this amazing grace which emanates from her,saved a wretch like her.

Danielle Ajoret shines in her part and was awarded a prize in the Cork festival :her beaming face is fascinating ,her faith could move mountains .This excellent actress could have made a great career in the movies,but she favored stage (notably Molière)

The movie does not pass over in silence the moneychangers in the Temple ,as pictures of Bernadette are already sold when she 's in the nunnery;a highly trade was to be highly developed in Lourdes Town.

Robert Darène was never a great director ,but when he dealt with religion (see also "Les Chiffonniers D'Emmaus" )he had been inspired.

I would repeat the admirable lines which introduced "the song of Bernadette" :"for those who have faith,no explanation is necessary .For those who don't ,no explanation is possible"