Daddy Nostalgia

Lovely swansong of actor Dirk Bogarde, playing an English businessman who is dying after a heart operation which only served to postpone the inevitable. The film is an unforgettable final weeks of close interaction between father and daughter (Jane Birkin) which never happened earlier in their life. The mother, a devout Catholic and a bridge addict and once beautiful, is not a person of high intellectual capacity. Bogarde and the charming Jane Birkin are used by Tavernier to put together a family film that could have been a Michael Powell (of Powell and Pressburger fame) product and by a coincidence Powell died the year this Tavernier film was released. Tavernier dedicated the film to Powell, whose works must have made an impact on Tavernier. Bogarde died 9 years after this film. The film belongs to a mature, beautiful and middle-aged toothy Birkin; Bogarde; and Tavernier. The original story was written by Colo Tavernier, who was Bertrand Tavernier's former wife (they divorced in 1981) but the film was co-scripted by both Bertrand and Colo. I wonder if Tavernier was influenced by another Bogarde film, "The Night Porter," in crafting the considerably different-end sequence in his film, with the rainy weather and the camera following the character(s) along the sidewalks.

I second Victoria's comments. A profoundly moving film.

Caroline loves her father and craves his attention, but he has lived a self-indulgent life and never gave her the time and affection she needed. Now, as time is running out, they both strive to heal their relationship.

A superbly successful investigation of the relationship between a woman and her father, that both analyzes their feelings and narrates their efforts to reach each other, and which ends in a timeless, transcendental moment capturing the bittersweet and ephemeral nature of life.

For me,as a man, the film gave insight into the father/daughter relationship; I notice that young women gave this film a higher rating than other groups.

Also, one of the few English language films of Jane Birkin widely available in the USA, along with Dust and Kung Fu Master. A uniquely sensitive actress with a large body of work in French cinema.

The other reviewers have captured the essence of this beautiful film about a family searching for love, relationship, meaning. For me it was a bittersweet viewing as I am a devoted Dirk Bogarde fan, and this was his last film. Bogarde, according the the special features section of the DVD, didn't want to do the film to begin with, but changed his mine. How grateful the film audience is for his decision! I noticed his voice had changed somewhat -a bit higher in tone, perhaps because he had aged, or perhaps his characters situation in the film. Still, it was pure Bogarde, subtle, intense, utterly and completely believable always. With the addition of a beautifully written script, exquisite scenery, and the fine acting of Ms. Birkin and the supporting cast it was a delight. During the special features section Ms. Birkin was interviewed and had nothing but lovely things to say about Dirk Bogarde, his special sensitivity to her during the filming, his aid to help her through difficult scenes, etc. The film world lost one of its finest when we lost Bogarde.

This touching film bears up to repeated viewings for its subtlety and insight. I agree with all of the comments discussed by the two previous reviewers, Victoria and Les Halles.

By focussing on the "non-action" of daily life and daily conversation, Tavernier appears to present a nothing of a film, but in reality has captured something valuable and ephemeral -- the silent dialogue between a husband and wife after a long marriage and the discovery of love between a father and daughter, all of whom have to deal in their own way with his impending death.

The use as a coda of the haunting song "These foolish things remind me of you" as sung by Jane Birkin in her breathless voice has never been more apt. It should be noted from the credits that Tavernier dedicated this film to another cinema genius Michael Powell (of the team Powell & Pressberger). Like Powell, Dirk Bogarde, both in the film and in real life, was very English, but cosmopolitan in intellect and cultural tastes. These characteristics are brought out in Bogarde's portrayal and in Birkin's flashbacks of her early remembrances. The acting and inter-action of the three principals, Bogarde, Birkin and Laure, is so subtle as to not appear as such, again a tribute to their experience and rapport with the director.

For someone who has faced the recent death of a loved one, this film rings true, and the refrain from the song takes on a new dimension, not intended by the original lyricist.

*****Five stars for hitting its emotional target..

Daddy Nostalgia (These Foolish Things in the UK) (French: Daddy Nostalgie) (1995) First Watched: 9/17/25 Director: Bertrand Tavernier Rating: 6/10 Stars

"Five Facts/Feelings Film Feedback"

1. This was Bogarde's last film. His last performance is bittersweet, as he is playing a father who could have done better and a different husband, reminiscing on his life during his final days.

2. Set during the final days of summer and the serene autumn days on the French Riviera, which makes for some magnificent scenery.

3. Birkin has a pleasantly melodious voice. It should not be surprising to learn that she has had a successful career as a singer- in addition to what she has recorded on various film soundtracks.

4. Chemistry between characters was lacking. Missing between Miche and Tony (mommy and daddy). Not very convincing between mommy and daughter. Gratefully, the strongest was between the most important relationship for the film, Caroline and her daddy.

5. The flow of the story would have benefited from better handling of the flashbacks. This hindrance, along with the sparse chemistry results in something a little overwhelming- yet still worth a watch for the tender depiction and wisdoms it manages to accord regarding dying and death.