Eric Rohmer built quite a reputation with his series of 6 films, The Moral Tales, in the 1960-70's. When the new decade came he decided to make a new series of films called Comedies & Proverbs. This series wasn't as consistent as The Moral Tales. The films of Comedies & Proverbs didn't have the same similarity in narrative and themes as The Moral Tales did. Le rayon vert is the fifth film in the series. Its most common translation is Summer, but I prefer the other translation to be more accurate to the context, The Green Ray.
Le rayon vert seems to abandon the usual "clean" narrative of Rohmer. It seems like a cruddy documentary at some points, which is of course intentional. The cinematography is beautiful & deep and Eric Rohmer's famous dialog is as sharp as it always is: Intelligent, funny and realistic. He's very talented in creating a realistic situation. He is the master of combining art with reality.
Le rayon vert is about a woman named Delphine (Marie Rivière), who hasn't yet found her true love as she hasn't her true self. The film studies a very common subject for French people; holidays. Delphine tries different kind of holidays, at her childhood town, Cherbourg, on the beach and in the city. As she's trying to find a good place to rest, she's finding herself.
The character, Delphine is very interesting and we get to know many things about her. For instance we found out, at her childhood place, that she is a vegetarian - first of all the scene is brilliant. Others don't quite seem to understand her diet & lifestyle. She doesn't want to eat meat because it reminds her of blood and heartbeats. She tries to stutter about the glory of salad, the fresh friendship of it.
The title, The Green Ray comes directly from a book by Jules Verne, with the same title. The green flash means the last fold ray of the sun from the horizon, which makes one see into one's own and to others' souls. Into the hands of this romantic flash the main characters gives her faith and destiny.
A very good film, intelligent and funny, just as the name of the series promises. Le rayon vert starts with a proverb by Rimbaud: "Ah! que les temps vienne Ou les coeurs s'eprennent." The Green Ray is full of symbolism just as the cards and the colors. It also shows some very beautiful shots from the French countryside.
8/10 A guaranteed Rohmer piece!
Le rayon vert seems to abandon the usual "clean" narrative of Rohmer. It seems like a cruddy documentary at some points, which is of course intentional. The cinematography is beautiful & deep and Eric Rohmer's famous dialog is as sharp as it always is: Intelligent, funny and realistic. He's very talented in creating a realistic situation. He is the master of combining art with reality.
Le rayon vert is about a woman named Delphine (Marie Rivière), who hasn't yet found her true love as she hasn't her true self. The film studies a very common subject for French people; holidays. Delphine tries different kind of holidays, at her childhood town, Cherbourg, on the beach and in the city. As she's trying to find a good place to rest, she's finding herself.
The character, Delphine is very interesting and we get to know many things about her. For instance we found out, at her childhood place, that she is a vegetarian - first of all the scene is brilliant. Others don't quite seem to understand her diet & lifestyle. She doesn't want to eat meat because it reminds her of blood and heartbeats. She tries to stutter about the glory of salad, the fresh friendship of it.
The title, The Green Ray comes directly from a book by Jules Verne, with the same title. The green flash means the last fold ray of the sun from the horizon, which makes one see into one's own and to others' souls. Into the hands of this romantic flash the main characters gives her faith and destiny.
A very good film, intelligent and funny, just as the name of the series promises. Le rayon vert starts with a proverb by Rimbaud: "Ah! que les temps vienne Ou les coeurs s'eprennent." The Green Ray is full of symbolism just as the cards and the colors. It also shows some very beautiful shots from the French countryside.
8/10 A guaranteed Rohmer piece!