I first saw this movie my freshman year in college. I still consider those times quite magical, and this movie fits into that profile. The young female lead was exquisite, growing quickly from an innocent-looking child intoto a young beauty. A host of movies from that era blended music, cinematography, and dialogue in a way that has become basically a lost art. Friends uses a near-classical score from Elton John with scenes of the French countryside that display like a series of paintings.
Even the somewhat-sappy dialogue fits into the culture of that era, spoken poetically by the 2 leads. The movie is truly eye-and-ear candy to be enjoyed. The subject is almost heart-breaking, as 2 youngsters try to capture happiness with methods they don't quite understand. This kind of romance has disappeared from the screen, substituted by a sort of head-banging cinematic relationship with sex and love.
I recently listened to cuts from the soundtrack on Elton John's "Rare Masters" CD. It brought back all the reasons I really cherished this movie. Hearing the voices of the leads within one cut let me once again relive the sights and sounds of an era that embraced life, love, and romance.
