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A Tale of Springtime

Original title: Conte de printemps
  • 1990
  • PG
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
6.4K
YOUR RATING
A Tale of Springtime (1990)
ComedyDramaRomance

Simple conversations engender complicated human interactions. Jeanne is open and even-tempered, a philosophy teacher at a lycée. Her fiancé is away and she doesn't want to stay at his messy ... Read allSimple conversations engender complicated human interactions. Jeanne is open and even-tempered, a philosophy teacher at a lycée. Her fiancé is away and she doesn't want to stay at his messy flat; she's loaned hers to a cousin, so she accepts the invitation of Natasha, a music stu... Read allSimple conversations engender complicated human interactions. Jeanne is open and even-tempered, a philosophy teacher at a lycée. Her fiancé is away and she doesn't want to stay at his messy flat; she's loaned hers to a cousin, so she accepts the invitation of Natasha, a music student whom she meets at a party, to sleep in her father Igor's bedroom because he's always ... Read all

  • Director
    • Éric Rohmer
  • Writer
    • Éric Rohmer
  • Stars
    • Anne Teyssèdre
    • Hugues Quester
    • Florence Darel
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    6.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Éric Rohmer
    • Writer
      • Éric Rohmer
    • Stars
      • Anne Teyssèdre
      • Hugues Quester
      • Florence Darel
    • 21User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos80

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    Top cast7

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    Anne Teyssèdre
    Anne Teyssèdre
    • Jeanne
    Hugues Quester
    Hugues Quester
    • Igor
    Florence Darel
    Florence Darel
    • Natacha
    Eloïse Bennett
    Eloïse Bennett
    • Ève
    Sophie Robin
    • Gaëlle
    Marc Lelou
    • Gildas
    François Lamore
    • William
    • Director
      • Éric Rohmer
    • Writer
      • Éric Rohmer
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    7.16.3K
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    Featured reviews

    8howard.schumann

    Sparkling conversations

    Jeanne, a charming woman in her thirties, meets Natasha, a college student at a party and they strike up an unlikely friendship Bored with the party, they return to Natasha's apartment in Paris where her father's frequent absence allows her to invite Jeanne to stay for a week. While some thoughts may run to deviance or intrigue, A Tale of Springtime is Eric Rohmer territory and that means sparkling conversation, complex characters, and a slowly unfolding plot in which everyone discovers something new about themselves. Springtime is the first of Rohmer's Four Seasons series and, while we may not always be sure where we are going, we are always sure that there is an artist in firm control.

    Both Jeanne and Natasha are smart and well spoken but each seems vaguely dissatisfied with their life. Jeanne (Anne Teyssedre), a philosophy teacher in high school, has lent her apartment to her cousin but refuses to stay at her boyfriend's place because of his inclination toward disorder and cannot quite come to terms with the question of whether or not she is in love with him. Natasha (Florence Darel) is a very talented pianist with romance and matchmaking on her mind; however, she is resentful of her divorced father's girlfriend Eve (Eloise Bennett), and has some serious thoughts about lining her father Igor (Hugues Quester) up with Jeanne.

    Outwardly sweet but inwardly manipulative, Natasha suspects that Eve has stolen a family necklace that her father promised to her and tells the story to Jeanne, hoping to turn the teacher against her father's lover. When Igor shows up for a rare family dinner, all four participate in a philosophical conversation that leads to a clash of personalities. Each tries to impress the other with their knowledge and engage in some banter about Kantian philosophy, and it is easy to get lost among all the priori's and the posteriori's. The scene, however, is not really about philosophy but about how each character is revealed through their reactions and responses. Igor and Jeanne are attracted to each other but are leery of being manipulated. They cannot really be with each other because of that little voice chattering away in the back of their minds telling them to be cautious. As Jeanne says, "I spend too much time thinking about thought".

    Unlike most Rohmer works, music is very much a part of this film, and the use of Beethoven's lilting Spring Sonata provides just the right touch. Though not on the top rung of Rohmer's films, A Tale of Springtime is a wonderfully entertaining way to spend two hours. It stands as a perfect example of how our considerations can sometimes get in the way of our aliveness and true self-interest. Characteristic of Rohmer, while each character is flawed and a bit lacking in self-awareness, they are very human and we identify their foibles as our own. By the end of the film, they have become a part of our lives.
    8timmy_501

    Tension builds to an upbeat ending

    From the beginning of this film to the end Jeanne is constantly displaced. The first scene has her returning to her own apartment after a long absence to find the cousin she was allowing to borrow the place is still there in spite of her agreement to leave a day or two previously. Although she desperately wants to return to the order of her own place she pretends that she was just stopping by to pick something up on her way back to the place she shares with her out of town boyfriend. However, she does not feel comfortable returning to this disordered place so to avoid it as long as possible she goes to the party of a former acquaintance. Here she meets Natasha and the plot gets started.

    Natasha lives alone in a big apartment and she invites Jeanne to stay with her a few days. Jeanne mostly feels out of place here as well but her two day stay stretches into something like ten before she is finally able to return home. During this time she grows increasingly agitated which causes her to act distrustful and paranoid. Unfortunately, her new friend Natasha is acting much the same way toward her father's current love interest and the combination of a negative atmosphere and her own paranoia put her in a rather unpleasant situation.

    In spite of the general tension of the plot, A Tale of Springtime ends on a very upbeat note that suggests most of the distrust the characters felt toward one another was unfounded. Indeed, the blossoming of new relationships and the general happiness of the characters make Spring a fitting setting for the film. Still, I couldn't help but feel that this wasn't one of Rohmer's strongest efforts: sure, the characters were just as natural as ever and the dialog was even more chock full of interesting ideas than usual but the cinematography wasn't all that special. All things considered, I would say this was quite good but nowhere near the best Rohmer has offered.
    LeonardOsborneKael

    Absorbing, quiet little masterpiece with extraordinary human insight

    Ever see a film so rich in character and humanity that made you want to hug not only the projectionist -- but the projector that brought it to life for you? Well, this is one of those. Not a casual word is wasted as these characters so adeptly sneak up on you. In no time you are carried into their complex inner lives in much the same manner as you get to know new friends and neighbors. Rohmer's story and character design are masterful; the touches are sure-handed and rich. There are moments along the way that make you gasp with recognition. Subtle, inner feelings you may have experienced about yourself and those close to you that you never dreamed anyone else had touched. Unlike so many movies, there's a wonderful awareness that, in life, no one is really in control of even the minutest events of the day. Life happens and continues to happen ... everyone plays their role from the inside, out and we all endure or celebrate the consequences. The subtle insight; the ring of truth; there is such finesse here; this one is unforgettable.
    per8

    intellectually pleasing, but sometimes ponderous

    To summarize, the film is basically about the beginning of a friendship between two women: a philosophy teacher and a younger pianist. The pianist wants to set up the philosopher with her father, who is already seeing someone else.

    The resulting tensions play out at a summer cottage. The film is mostly dialog, and every feeling or impulse gets examined. Which makes sense, because of the bourgeois, self-involved bent of the characters.

    I think the greatest point of action is when a dish gets nearly dropped (but it's saved and the characters then argue over who was to blame).

    Although it has some pleasing insights, I wouldn't recommend the film to most people because it's simply too ponderous. Frankly it could use some comic relief. The fine country setting mitigates the over-intellectualizing somewhat, but Rohmer has made other films that are better.
    6graycat-1

    Clever, witty, tasteful, bloodless

    Clever, witty, tasteful, bloodless. Although sex seems to be on everyone's mind in this post-modern tale, only Beethoven, Schubert, and Schumann provide any passion in a film that reminds me more of Satie's witty piano doodles.

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    Related interests

    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      First installment of the "Tales of Four Seasons" series.
    • Quotes

      Igor: I like desiring and being desired... especially when it's unspoken... even if it goes nowhere.

    • Connections
      Featured in Cinéma, de notre temps: Éric Rohmer, preuves à l'appui, 1e partie (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Sonate für Violine und Klavier No. 5 'Frühling' op. 24: IV. Rondo. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
      Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performed by Tedi Papavrami (violin), Alexandre Tharaud (piano)

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    FAQ13

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 4, 1990 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Language
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Tales of Four Seasons
    • Filming locations
      • Lycée Jacques Brel, 4-6, Rue Dulcie September, La Courneuve, Seine-Saint-Denis, France
    • Production companies
      • Compagnie Eric Rohmer (CER)
      • Investimage
      • Les Films du Losange
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $22,171
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 48m(108 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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