La morta stagione dell'amore

You can see nouvelle vague creeping into this French A feature. There are straight cuts between scenes, unlike the fades to black which still invade even L'EAU A LA BOUCHE and the characters are younger than the suit, tie & evening wear casts of earlier films but it's still French actors dropping every name from Sagan to Corneille and changing partners. The amount of skin we get for our money is very tame against the Vadim films of the day.

One of those writers who can't write we get in VINCENT PAUL FRANCOIS & LES AUTRES or THE SHINING is paired up with the so fetching Francoise Arnoul while former statesman Gelin, with his side burns whited, is running his empire and bedding half the French movie crumpet of the day - include Alexandra Stewart introduced on horse back with a fanfare, while wife Prévost does likewise with the fellers. She acts everyone else off the screen.

There's lots of verbalizing about love etern and a surprise ending, which anticipates JULES ET JIM, but this one is mainly a nostalgia trip for those who enjoyed films with writing on the bottom forty years back Yes there is a reference to Easter Island for followers of Pierre Kast.