nbott

Are we so taken by Hollywood filmmaking techniques that we can not recognize a truly original story when we see it? This film is very believable and I was quite moved by the real situation suffered by two very sympathetic characters. Every moment in this drama is real. The conversations between the two characters abandoned by fate is exactly what one would imagine between two people caught up in such a situation. This is a simple story told quite effectively.

I was held in suspense from the moment these two wonderful people were abandoned by a boat crew not attentive enough to their jobs. These things happen and I found myself believing it could happen. The feeling of abandonment was chilling. Have we not all had nightmares about being abandoned?

I found the ending to be real also. I will not disclose it here but it was a surprise to me. But then this is not a Hollywood feel-good sappy film. I would congratulate the filmmakers if I could. Bravo indeed! Highly Recommended.

I personally found this film to be both believable and deeply moving. It is really an old-fashioned family drama with a twist. What is the twist? There has been a dramatic change in daddy since he left home years ago and our heroine has really two mothers. She is also coming of age and likes a boy she meets.

The acting by all concerned is quite excellent and the film's pacing holds your attention. I was deeply moved at the mother's feelings of betrayal, the daughter's feelings of rejection by her father and the "father"'s coming to terms with having a daughter and dealing with his changes. There is even a slightly crippled good hearted young lad in the picture. This is traditional film making exploring the nature of real-life relationships.

I personally knew someone who underwent this operation late in life and it was a tragedy. One can only try to understand the angst of someone who feels that nature has made a mistake and deeply desires to change it.

This film is really worthy of a viewing. Check it out.

Jodie Foster and Michael Ontkean playing French war resistors is a stretch of the imagination I could not entertain. This story should have been in French with French actors and actresses. I really do not like films that have English lines but songs that are in French etc. At least they did not attempt to have phony French accents. I hope Mr. Chabrol was paid well for this lapse in his usual brilliant film career. This is truly the worst film I have seen directed by this classic filmmaker. Towards the end of the film there is a bit of script writing involving a love-obsessed Nazi and Jodie Foster that is one of the silliest things I have ever seen. This film, as so many others do, seems to enjoy depicting Germans during World War II as somehow not intelligent. Storytellers seem to forget that they almost conquered all of Europe. This VHS will definitely be donated to the next charity yard sale in my neighborhood. Skip this film.