Un homme amoureux

I saw this film a number of years ago on LaserDisc, and I loved it. Excuse me if I don't remember all the details.

Peter Coyote and Greta Scacchi gave great performances. Coyote played an actor and really conveyed a sense of someone trying to convey the essence of the character he played. Scacchi was also great. Their hunger for each other came across in a compelling way (OK, I really liked her nude scenes!).

The LaserDisc may have been Panned and Scanned (ugh!). Supposedly this is available on DVD, released in September 2004. It apparently had a very short shelf life. I cannot find it anywhere (as of December, 2004). Amazon says that their suppliers cannot provide a copy. Very frustrating. The DVD may also be P&S, but I hope not.

Highly recommended - if you can find it.

For the life of me I have no idea what type of movie director Diane Kurys was trying to make here . It centres around the relationship between American director Steve Elliot and English actress Jane Steiner . It contains long - Too long - scenes of romantic European cities with romantic music in the background but at the same time is possibly too explicit to be a simple love story . For example Steve gets Jane to tell him an erotic lesbian fantasy " I can feel her lips on my nipples as I rub my hand between her legs ... " and there's some nudity . But the problem with MAN IN LOVE is that there's zero plot . Okay I wasn't expecting car chases or Bruce Willis crashing through windows but the story ends up going nowhere . In many ways it's like a meaningless Mills & Boon story that might strike a cord with women who have just experienced a holiday romance . No doubt French film students will think this some sort of romantic masterwork but I didn't care for it apart from the lesbian fantasy monologue

Personally, I find movies about abusive, jealous, mistrusting, vindictive married people to fall under "horror". Every generation has them: Gaslight (1944), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966), and of course Possession (1981), all horror flicks, as far as i'm concerned.

There is only one reason to see this film. If you're schooled in Hollywood political history, you'll like the casting of blacklisted director John Berry, as the father of the love-target of the actor playing an Italian communist writer. Nice touch.

OK, make it two. Self-reflexive Hollywood. I found the theme and look to recall Two Weeks in Another Town, Vincente Minelli's 1962 self-reflexive Hollywood followup to his Bad and the Beautiful (1952). My jaw dropped to the ground when I heard the line "bad and beautiful" uttered by Coyote, in response to his giving Affair Girl the new dress. I guess I must really know my classic movies...don't be surprised, either, to find that the entire movie is actually a script by one of the actors in the movie within a movie. Sigh.

Alright, three. This is one of those movies that screams for a widescreen presentation. So if you like getting dizzy, watching between pan-and-scan and subtitles, this is your flick.

Otherwise, be prepared for two hours of angry, embittered, unsympathetic married people thriving on crisis, having affairs, and snapping indignantly at each other. There were a few joke's-on-the-viewer moments, where it's at first unclear whether the affair is "real" or "on-screen". Unfortunately, it's revealed that it's all too "real". Like the unadvised inclusion of that tedious, cardboard "lesbian fantasy", of course as dictated by the impatient voyeur male lover, during some sex scene. Groan.

Blah to all of the above, except John Berry. 2/10.

I watched this movie many years ago before DVD's even existed. The script is a known one. Nothing new here but the ambiance is basically what this movie is about. The director was skillful at making this co-production keep up with a plausible script ( always an issue when money comes from different countries ) . The tone is definitely the big Hollywoog star versus the more bohemian people an A- lister might encounter when filming. Great casting as Claudia Cardinale makes a credible Greta Sccatchi's Mum. The french version was excellent ,reminded me of the good old days when Charles Bronson made his best ones in Europe. What can I say ...It's all about ambiance..Watch it 'till the very end !

This film, crafted by a female writer and director, draws heavily on either her autobiographical experiences or her vivid imagination. The central dramatic element revolves around a famous actor pursued-almost haunted-by women, with a young, alluring newcomer capturing his near-exclusive attention. This dynamic mirrors the evolutionary psychology themes found in successful novels like Fifty Shades of Grey. The romance is compelling, as both lead characters are attractive, charismatic, and well-suited to the story's dramatic arc. Their chemistry is palpable, making it easy for audiences to connect with them.

However, I believe a film like this could not be made today, 40 years later. Its portrayal of a woman's unwavering devotion to the man she loves feels out of step with contemporary narratives that emphasize women as self-sufficient, autonomous, and strong in their independence.