Our History

Notre Histoire (1984) is a film that struggles to find its footing. Directed by Bertrand Blier, it feels more like a series of disjointed scenes than a cohesive story. The narrative is erratic, the tone uneven, and many moments come across as pretentious rather than profound.

Alain Delon, as always, brings charisma and screen presence, but even his performance can't fully salvage a script that lacks focus. The chemistry between the leads is inconsistent, and some of the dialogue borders on the absurd, making it difficult to connect with the characters or their struggles.

While the film attempts to be a quirky, psychological exploration, it often feels more confusing than engaging. The surreal elements, instead of adding depth, create a sense of detachment, leaving the viewer frustrated rather than moved.

Overall, a disappointing and uneven film that fails to live up to its potential, even with Alain Delon at the helm.

Almost the whole film I was actually disgussed at how woman unfriendly it was ("Nouvelle-vague-ish, male gazed" I thought repeatedly). I wanted to stop watching but something in the quality (especially of the acting) held me back. Boy, am I glad I didn't unhook. The end is beautiful and sets the whole story in another perspective, one that is, even for a feminist like me, approvable. Yes there are unbearably sexist scenes, but it all makes perfect sense in the end (it doesn't pass the Bechdel test unfortunately - hence my 8 stars rating, 2 points penalty - but which film of the eighties does?). It turned the movie for me from hateful to adorable.

I actually wanted to watch it again right away, with that new insight in mind. But I had to free space for unwatched recordings so I deleted it. Now I regret. I have to watch it again.

Also: a trip down memory lane, for it is shot in my home region, the high Alps of France. I have been in a similar sports class at a similar school between similar mountains, in similar chalets, with similar ski's in the stairway. Only the people were obviously not from there (accent and demeanor), supposedly all Parisians.

Everybody knows that having good actors is considered to be a boon for a film which is acclaimed both commercially as well as critically. However,a good idea is also required to make a successful film by making good use of talented actors.This effect was achieved by maverick French director Bertrand Blier when he was hired by Alain Sarde and Alain Delon to shoot 'Notre Histoire'.Although this film doesn't have a very strong plot,it manages to retain viewers' attention through a series of hilarious episodes which question alcohol, beer, family, loneliness, love,sadness and sex.Apart from the presence of leading players Alain Delon and Nathalie Baye,viewers familiar with French cinema would be comfortable in recognizing other talented French actors namely Gérard Darmon,Michel Galabru,Jean Reno,Jean François Stévenin, Jean Claude Dreyfuss and Jean Pierre Darroussin.As an original idea about some ordinary characters with extraordinary strength, Notre Histoire continues to influence screenwriters especially in the manner it enables numerous stories to be added in a single film.

At first, the impression to discover a collaboration between Pasolini and Fellini.

Then - the touch of Pirandello.

At final, a fairy tale , in modern aspects reminding old fashion Middle East stories.

In fact, a beautiful job of Nathalie Baye and Alain Delon. Especially alain Delon, offering a character just eccentric for his long career.

Provocative ? Not exactly. Only a story of love, illusions and adventures reminding so many cultural islands than it seems a revision of them. Poetic, bizarre and well crafted reflections of love dream, furies and angries and pieces of obsession for ideal of a sort of Don Quixote interpreted by the sex symbol of french cinema.

This film is just about unclassifiable. What rubric do we put it under: melodrama, comedy, political satire, Pirandellian experiment? What is clear is that Alain Delon goes further towards demolishing his sexy warrior image than he ever did before or since. Here is an extroverted actor at home playing cops or gangsters, the only French actor I know who could team with Charles Bronson in a thriller and bring it off, and here he is playing a cheerless, withdrawn alcoholic garage owner. There is hardly any plot to hang on to, just a series of vignettes with characters describing their various joys or troubles. Somebody should have told Bertrand Blier that assembling 20 or so people in a house and getting them to philosophize is NEVER funny.

Delon does his new persona very well, and deserved the César award he got. Nathalie Baye has a big part, playing three different women, and is always funny and touching. The other players have much less interesting things to do, and the picture is overlong at 1hr.50min.