Romy et Alain, les éternels fiancés

I don't usually watch (let alone review) documentaries of famous people, and especially not actors or actresses, for the plain and simple reason they are just human beings that do their jobs like we do ours. Documentaries about people's troubled and turbulent love lives are particularly tricky because they somewhat feel like voyeurism and nosing into private affairs. The amazing Romy Schneider deserves an exception, though.

No so much her love life interests me (even though this is what the film is primarily about) but I want to pay tribute to the courageous, intelligent, ambitious, and unfortunate woman she was. Courageous because she could have had an easy and comfortable career if she continued making "Sissi" movies in her home country. But Romy lost her in dull and daft costume dramas rather quickly, unlike her mother and grandmother before her. Romy was drawn to Paris and an uncertain career path. She was also courageous because she was the one who picked Alain Delon as her co-actor for "Christine" (1958) even though he was still unknown and contemporary famous names were available as alternatives. Intelligent because she learned the difficult language of French in barely 1-2 years, and impeccable I may add. Ambitious because she appeared in convoluted theater plays, as well as in a wide variety of film roles, but practically never in the same type of role twice. She depicted strong women as well as sensitive women, prostitutes as well as timid housewives. Finally, alas, unfortunate because she encountered a lot of pain and sorrow, notably the tragic accident of her teenage son that indirectly led to her own untimely death.

Regarding Alain Delon, I can be briefer. He's just one of the coolest, most charismatic, and top-talented actors ever to come out of Europe. I have seen many of his films, and he never disappoints, and the most fascinating thing to witness in this documentary is how his life somehow always remained interwoven with Romy Schneider's until even after her death. In case you haven't seen much of either Romy's or Alain's work, it's advisable to keep pen & paper nearby when you watch the documentary. Many, many movies come highly recommended; - particularly "La Piscine", "The Assassination of Trotsky", "Le Clan des Siciliens", "Le Procès", "Le Cercle Rouge", and "Mort d'un Pourri".

You know the story . Maybe, not the details, but this profound special story of love is familiar to you.

The film reminds it. In fair, gentle, as embroidery of confessions , in its details, nuances, sparkles, clashes. In its essence.

It is , at first sight, a story of love during 24 years , continuing today, seductive, touching and legendary .

This beautiful documentary has the precious gift to suggest the emotion about a relation more than romantic , in real sense unique.

A wonderful doc ,about the most famous couple of the sixties European cinema ; their affair was short (1959-1964)but it has remained legendary and is still remembered today ;towards the end , in front of the audience ,an old Delon is on the verge of tears when he mentions the (both departed)great loves of his life ( Romy and Mireille (Darc))

When they met, Schneider was European biggest star in the wake of her "Sissi die junge Kaiserin" saga (which she eventually came to hate),and Delon an up-and-coming jeune premier (young romantic male lead)

After "plein soleil" ("purple noon" )Delon went from strength to strength , his stature largely surpassing Romy's ,who began years in the wilderness (although she worked with demanding artists such as Visconti and Welles);Delon walked out on her and married Natalie Canova , arguing that two stars ' marriage is doomed .

Both Delon and Schneider had both turbulent private lives but they would never resume their affair ,even when Delon called his former flame for "la piscine" , a movie which recharged her career which was on the wane ;thus revivified , thanks to Delon's insistence -he wouldn't make the film without her- , Schneider became a popular actress again and one of the most beloved one of the French seventies.

But her private life ran into difficulties and tragedy stroke when her son David was impaled on the fence of his grandparents' mansion .Delon 's behavior was admirable , he supported her during the funerals ,holding her hand in Boissy-sur-Avoir ,where she was to be buried one year after.

They made three films together ( unless her cameo in "plein soleil" counts),but Pierre Granier -Deferre wanted to reunite them in a fourth planned movie (l"un contre l'autre" = one against the other")

Romy may be gone (1982),but her star shines on ,and for the screen, she will always be Delon's eternal fiancée.