Customer Reviews

Claire's Knee

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is my favorite film by one of the greatest (and subtlest) writer/directors in world cinema, and its distressingly mediocre rating from so many reviewers here seems solely due to the American cultural hangup with an older man flirting with younger girls. But the absurdity of such attractions is exactly what this movie is about! The character of Jerome spends the entire film articulately rationalizing away his very real desire for a young girl who disdains him--finally fixating upon a single touch of her knee as a way to expiate any power she seems to hold over him. This film is about a man struggling with his own weakness and his own denial. There is absolutely nothing unseemly in any of Eric Rohmer's handling of this subject, and, indeed, the character of 15-year-old Laura, the girl who is kissed and embraced by the older Jerome, is one of the most knowing and self-possessed characters in the film. Her ultimate snub of Jerome when, too-little-too-late, he comes to appreciate her, is a key to the subtle humiliation to which Rohmer subjects Jerome. This film is a masterful examination of how people can speak one way and *act* another because of the power of their desires, and anyone who finds it offensive in some way should just get over it! Take your cultural baggage somewhere else.

An Eric Rohmer film is not a typical film by US standards, or by European stardards either. But it's a very interesting piece of entertainment, at least very beautiful to see.

The story in Claire's Knee is very simple, but even if it was more ambitious or complicated it wouldn't be the point. And this is what people miss when they watch Rohmer's films. It's the pace, the background scenery, the natural ambience. It's an invitation to the viewer to join the cast, and feel like one more character, a very attentive and quiet character. And this is truly the magic of Rohmer's beautiful films, specially this one. Among his films, I prefer My Night At Maud's, because it's not only beautiful to the eye, but the story interests me more too.

Claire's Knee is such a delicate and precious work of art for its simplicity, and it really feels like being sucked into the scene by the characters interactions, and becoming more and more involved in the conversations. You can pick your own sides, and most of all, you can study (try to understand) the characters by staring at their faces without being impolite. And you can also just enjoy the beautiful scenery and breathe fresh air from the Alps.

So I recommend it but warn you that it should be viewed without any expectations as for plot or big excitements. Take it as an invitation to join a few friends for a few days in the French Alps during the summer. Get into the European mood and have a nice vacation.

I wish is had a better quality dvd. The other option is the Criterion edition that just came out.

First of all, I want to stress that the low rating for this DVD does not refer to the film itself, but to the lackluster transfer by Fox Lorber. I can second the comment of the reviewer below, that the film itself deserves five stars, whereas the video and audio quality of this DVD are no better than a VHS tape (in fact, this would be very low quality for a VHS for that matter). Moreover, as with their Godard and Truffaut issues, Fox Lorber has marked only 6 chapter headings on this DVD. Now how hard is it to bookmark a chapter? Of course, I suppose that would actually require taking some interest in the film itself, and perhaps even watching it a couple of times, so as to gadge the appropriate moments to bookmark. Thus, this DVD does not even have the advantage of convenient chapter options. It is a shame that a company who owns the rights to so many great films repeatedly releases such poorly engineered DVDs. There are, of course, exceptions (more recent titles, many of the Truffaut issues, or Godard's "Vivre Sa Vie," for example). Nonetheless, I have come to expect from Fox Lorber below average video and audio quality, along with few special features, if any (even the director and actor videographies are often incomplete). Even though I own many DVDs from Fox Lorber, inspite of their mediocre quality, this is one issue that I cannot recommend. I first rented this film on DVD, but elected to purchase it on VHS, instead. This is my second favorite Rohmer film, finishing a close second after "Chloe in the Afternoon," and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the French New Wave. However, do not waste your money on this DVD.

As a film, "Claire's Knee" retains its charm and is a pleasure to see every couple of years. I had bought the DVD assuming the image and sound would be superior to the VHS version but was disappointed by the poor quality of the transfer. The image is not sharp and the color, which should be vibrant, is washed out and poorly balanced. Moreover, I was anticipating the film would be presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, but it is full-frame instead. The image looks so flat and lacking in resolution that one could almost suspect that the DVD had been made from a VHS copy. Whatever the source for the transfer was, it's truly a pity Fox Lorber should be satisfied to sell such a mediocre product.

The title of this charming film by Eric Rohmer is perhaps too provocative. It really gives the wrong impression, yet Claire's knee is exactly the central point of the film, although in a way that will surprise you.

This is the story about a thirty-something year old diplomat, Jerome Montcharvin, who encounters two pretty girls, sixteen and eighteen years old, while on vacation at Lake Annecy in France (near Lake Geneva, Switzerland) a month before his wedding and finds that they affect him more strongly than he might have expected. It is especially Claire who brings out a side of his personality that is seldom exposed, much to the merry interest of his friend, Aurora, a writer, who has guided his interest in the girls, ostensibly as material for a story she is writing. Claire's Knee, it need be said immediately has not so much to do with the pretty girl's knee as it has to do with the protagonist's self-perception.

Jean-Claude Brialy, who plays Jerome Montcharvin, brings a veracious mix of smug confidence and little guy vulnerability to the part spiked with a clear case of self-delusion that illuminates his character very well. And the girls are indeed very pretty, with Laura, played with coquettish innocence by Béatrice Romand, also being clever and slyly sophisticated, vulnerable and honest. In contrast Claire, played by Laurence de Monaghan, whose fawn-like beauty is perfect for the part, seems superficial and ordinary and a bit distant. I found myself more attracted to Aurora, played with a gentle and understated irony by Aurora Cornu. She provides the objectifying point of view for us to realize that while Jerome imagines he is a man in touch with his feelings and has an objective understanding of himself, he is really a man who fools himself about his motivation, a man who can be ugly when frustrated, as he is by Claire's lack of interest in him.

The dialogue, written by director Eric Rohmer, which some have found excessive is anything but. It is instead clever and witty and at times profound as Rohmer relentlessly explores the nature of love, sex, sensuality and self-delusion. The cinematography of the lake and the French alps in the summer time is luscious, and the privileged, softly indulgent life style of the characters living around the lake provoked a twinge of jealousy in my soul. This is a beautiful film, worldly wise, warm, sensual and subtle as a dinner by candlelight.

First of all, a huge thanks to Winstar for bringing the movies of french director Eric Rohmer in the DVD market. This director is one of the world major directors of the last 40 years, a child of the Nouvelle Vague. CLAIRE'S KNEE is the fifth of the moral tales serie, shot directly after the masterpiece MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S.

Like all Eric Rohmer's movies, CLAIRE'S KNEE is in a certain way hypnotic, in the medical sense of the word. Because you will pass 100 minutes to listen to actors who are saying the most deep philosophical truths while playing tennis, eating or climbing mountains. Most of the actors are non professional but it doesn't matter ; you will be so interested in the dialogs and in each gesture of the characters that you won't have the time to remark that Robert De Niro is not on the screen.

The place : the Lake of Annecy's surroundings, near Geneva, Switzerland. The argument : a diplomat on holidays, on the verge of getting married, encounters two young girls, 16 and 18 years old. During three weeks, he will try to seduce them in order to prove to himself that he is ready for marriage and cannot fall in love with another woman. It's very difficult to summarize a screenplay which gives such importance to the silences of the characters. So, be curious !

Nothing to be mad about the extra-features and the audio and video transfers.

A DVD for the fetishists ones.

Like all of the Fox/Lorber releases of Eric Rohmer's "Six Moral Tales" film series, I'd give this film 5 stars for content, especially if you enjoy writer/director Eric Rohmer's subtle, deliberatly paced, conversational style. His films crawl into your consciousness slowly and before you know it you're hooked. Unfortunatly I'd give the DVD transfer 1 star as it looks and sounds no better than Fox/Lorber's currently available VHS version and there are no extras to speak of except for incomplete director and star filmography listings. The film is not presented in its original aspect ratio and the French subtitles are burned into the print and so are not removable from the screen. Thus average rating: 3 stars. END

Great film, but terrible transfer. If you watch this film for the first time on this DVD, you will get a very bad impression of this great film. So avoid it. But anyway there is never to expect much quality from FLA.

Typical Rohmer character study of an engaged man reassuring himself that while he is at the moment "still free", he is not in the least bit interested in any other women. During a vacation, a friend introduces him to a woman with 2 teenage daughters (17-19 years-old). Our main character spends the first half of the film convincing himself and others that he is quite comfortable with his fiancee and needs no one else, however finds himself drawn to the younger daughter. The 2nd half of the film finds him suddenly attracted to the other daughter, and developing an obsession with touching her knee, which he sees her boyfriend doing. By the end of the film, he achieves this goal and that's it, our little Rohmer moral tale is over.

Not very unlike his other films, however the characters and dialogue were not as interesting and compelling to watch as those in films such as My Night at Maud's, A Tale of Springtime, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, Chloe in the Afternoon, and Summer. All of these films I noted, I wouldn't mind repeated viewings, however once was enough with Claire's Knee. I feel this is one of his films that does not stand the test of time too well, as much as the others do. The morals in his other films were more intense and attention grabbing, but this one borders on almost not caring about this guy's situation at all.

As for the DVD quality, yes, we know what to expect from Fox/Lorber, however it is not as bad as other reviewers state. The opening scenes start out with tons of artifacting, but that quickly gets better moments into the film. The audio is clear and I found the picture was sharper than Chloe in the Afternoon. This is still slightly above VHS quality, where Chloe was really not.

I don't know if it's a general feeling or if it's merely the few people whom have reviewed this film here on amazon, but, it seems people don't really like this movie by one of my favorite directors, Eric Rohmer. I think the problem most people have with this movie is not the acting or the directing, or the scenery but it's story-line of an older man being attracted to two much younger girls then himself. And, to be honest, I wasn't really bothered by it that much, but, I was mildly put off.
I love the characters in any Rohmer film. I enjoy hearing them speak of love, searching for love, and of course when they actually find it. There's such charm and wit to Rohmer's films. He's so subtle in his delivery that I can't help but always fall under his spells. And "Claire's Knee" has the elements that make any Rohmer film great, but, it lacked something and for the life of me, I can't put my finger on it other than the seeing this older guy kissing and holding hands with these younger girls. But, there is much to enjoy in this movie anyway.
Jerome (Jean-Claude Brialy) has returned from Sweden, where he is about to get to get married, to France to sell his old countryside house, where he vactioned as a boy. When he arrives he meets his old friend Aurora (Aurora Cornu). Aurora is staying with a family while in France, getting ready to write a story. She's a novelist. She tells him her story, which is about an older diplomatic man falling for two younger women whom he sees playing tennis everyday. And, in order to give her some inspiration she ask Jerome if he will live out her story. Jerome, at first says no, but, finds that Mrs. Walter's (Michele Montel), the owner of the house where Aurora is staying, daughter, Laura (Beatrice Romand) has a crush on Jerome. And so, without wanting to, finds he's already involved in Aurora's little scheme wheather he wants to be or not. Now, Aurora has a sister named Claire (Laurence de Monaghan), hence the title. And Jerome finds that, even though he wont admit it he is attracted to her too. Especially, her knees. And so it all becomes a tale of a man in one way reliving his past, accepting his future and in another, it's a story of man's everyday struggle with the temptation known as; women. As far as the rest of the plot goes, you have the buy or rent the movie to find out.
"Claire's Knee" is an extremely well done film, that does have it's choice moments. The cinamatography is beautiful. The location shots are breathtaking. The countryside complements the sometimes tender moments of the film. And, Rohmer's directing is first-rate, all the way. Even though I don't feel this film is up to par with other Rohmer films like "My Night at Maud's", "Chloe in the Afternoon" or "Pauline at the Beach", "Claire's Knee" is a film I wish more people would see and not be so critical of. A cinematic treat from Eric Rohmer.
Bottom-line: "Claire's Knee" is a film rich in atmosphere. It has some delightful scenes, good dialogue and fine acting. May not be Rohmer's best, but, is still a pleasure to watch.