Les miracles n'ont lieu qu'une fois

Two medical students, Jérôme & Claudia, fall in love almost instantaneously. They spend time together in Italy at the onset of WWII. It seems nothing can spoil their new found love which growing by a minute. But at the pinnacle of their of relationship the WWII begins. Jérôme has to report for his military duty. During all the war years he is writing to Claudia whenever he can but eventually he looses touch with her. After the end of the war he is desperately looking for her for a long time. When he finally finds her she is a different from what was he still remembers. They agree to try to continue their interrupted relation but it turns out, it's too late. Their love miracle is over.

Jean Marais falls in love with Allida Valli. They have a love affair in Tuscany. But WWII is declared, and Jean becomes a soldier. Jean loses contact with his love. Eleven years later, he decides to go to Italy to search her. He finally finds her but love has disappeared. They strongly try to find love again.

Yves Allégret had just shot his three noir masterpieces before this melodrama, rather depressing with no particular dynamy. That kind of melodrama with a love story not very convincing is not for me.

But there are some great scenes. During the war period, an officer makes a remark to Jean, this shot is fabulous, the setting is grey, just the ground and the wall with no objects, just a famous war poster. And what a great choice to shoot the love story in the romantic village of San Gimignano, not far from Firenze, with these old towers.

Yves Allégret, Jacques Sigurd and Jean Marais will do much better with "Nez de Cuir".

The follow-up to "Manèges" ,"Les Miracles N'Ont Lieu Qu'Une Fois " depicts true love whereas the former was all cupidity,nastiness and cheat.

The screenplays bears more than a distant resemblance to "Paradis Perdu" (1939) by Abel Gance ,at least in its first third.Alida Valli and Jean Marais,both very good-looking ,portray two students who want to become surgeons;they fall in love and spend some time in paradise in Italy.Alas,WW2 breaks out.When the soldier comes home,will he meet his love again?And will their love survive eleven long years (and however WW2 ended in 1945;as the hero's marriage was short-lived ,it's strange he waits so much time to search his lost love)? Neither Allégret's directing nor Sigurd's screenplay are particularly memorable;compared to "Manèges" and its story told from two different point of views ,"Miracles" uses a monotonous voice over (Jean Marais,not at his best)till you are fed up with it.

Worth a look for the two marvelous actors,but that's it.

Allégret's and Marais's collaboration would continue in the follow-up "Nez-de -Cuir" which was more satisfying but it was 1953( "les Orgueilleux") before Allégret gave a major work again (it was his last important movie ).