Product Details

• Actors: Thierry Tevini, Anja Schüte, Valérie Dumas, Évelyne Dandry, Elisa Servier
• Directors: David Hamilton
• Writers: Claude d'Anna, Josiane Lévêque, Pascal Lainé, Werner P. Zibaso
• Producers: Georg M. Reuther, Hans Pflüger, Linda Gutenberg
• Format: Color, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: French
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Homevision
• VHS Release Date: June 16, 2000
• Run Time: 90 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0780021800
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #267,613 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Beautiful young French people romp on an idyllic country estate in Tender Cousins. The story, set in 1939, centers around Julien, a young adolescent boy in love with his cousin Julia, who is in love with the foppish Charles, who is engaged to be married to Julien's older sister Claire, who... you get the idea. Julien and Julia's little sister Poune, who seems to know what everyone is up to, engage in pranks; a visiting actress puts on a theatrical revue; everyone pursues the new maid; a scientist believes he has isolated the soul, which he captures in balloons; and, when war against Germany is declared, the adult men must go off to war, giving the otherwise lyrical story a sad undercurrent. Flashes of wit, bits of silliness, and a good dose of nudity make Tender Cousins pretty much the definition of its brand of French sex comedy. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

Owing much to Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game, Tender Cousins is also set in the French countryside on the eve of World War II. This film is a true coming of age story told through the eyes of cousins, Julien (Thierry Tevini) and Christine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, November 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tender Cousins [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I will describe this movie more of a comedy rather than a drama/romance sort of movie. The story takes place in 1939 on a French country-side, in a house that hosts people. Julien, a 14yr old boy, has fallen in love his cousin Julia, who is 16. Julia, however does not care much for him because she is in love with Julien's sister's fiancee. When WWII brakes out and all the men go of to war, all the service women find themselves searching for their missing desire at the hands of Julien. It was then where things changed between Julien and his cousin. The ending is a little strange, I will not spoil it for you, but as of now, I am still trying to figure out why the producers ended it that way. Great movie to wath. It keeps you at the edge of your seat trying to see what happens next. There is nudity in the film, but then again, what French movie doesnt? It is enjoyable to watch, a truly coming of age story in which we see Julien mature from a boy to a man

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bawdy & Fun, April 3, 2005

By 

Drake-by-the-Lake "movie critic" (State of Euphoria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tender Cousins (DVD)

You cannot take a movie like this very seriously of course... it is only about sex and pretty young people, and abandons any pretense of being about anything else. More movies should go this route, instead of posing with a brittle artsy front like the recent French film, "The Dreamers", that could have been oh-so-sexy, but digressed into insipid melodrama with the neurotic lead female and her brother.

This film is just fun, following the sexual shenanigans that take place at a rural French country estate. Expect very attractive young ladies and a naughty script that dares to go almost everywhere. Do not expect wit or anything profound or moving. This is probably more of a "guy" movie. Uncork a bottle of French wine, press Play and enjoy.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Boy's Dream Summer-done by David Hamilton, March 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Tender Cousins [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A teenage boy is left on a farm during the war when all the men have gone. There are females of every age who are desiring a male's company-any male. The boy finds himself much desired. However, he has a crush on an older teen girl who doesn't seem to like him too much. He has difficulty dealing with this, and all the other attention that comes this way. Since this is a David Hamilton work, there is nudity, but not as much sensuality as his other movies.