La collectionneuse (1967)

TSPDT Greatest Films #836 La collectionneuse (Eric Rohmer. 1967)

 The fourth part of Rohmer's Six Moral Tales is one of the most sublime film ever made. The story is very simple. Adrien is about to realize his most profound dream: open an Art gallery. But before actually do it he takes vacations in a country house imposing so basic rules to his living. This is somewhat like volountary simplicity. Living of nothing and getting up and sunrise and having a priest-like way of life. He shares the villa with friend called Daniel that agreed to live by the same rules. There is another person living with them in the house: Haydée an easy girl that lives the opposite of Adrien, she is out all night and meeting many men every night. At first, Adrien and Daniel despite Haydée's way of life and they will confront her by first refusing to sleep with her and contempting her. Obviously as Adrien continues to refuse to have sex with Haydée he will slowly fall in love with her.

The simplicity of the story sets you off and like Rohmer's other films it takes some time to understand where he wants to lead us. The storytelling of the story with Adrien as the narrator helps the viewer to understand and apreciate the somtimes confusing acts of seduction and love depicted on the screen. One of the many interesting facets of it is the way how everything is consciensly narrated by the protagonist of the story and how he finally accepts his sentiments towards the girl that in first place he contempted.

La collectionneuse is a film that can rightfully describe the camera-pen the French New Wave talked about. The film goes like a classic novel and the images are the support to the text. This is like an inversion of the classic way films were shot.

Having only seen two (Ma nuit chez Maud & La collectionneuse) of the Six Moral Tales by Rohmer I am looking forward to discover the rest of the tales. I actually enjoyed both very much and couldn't decide now which I prefred. Which one Moral Tale is your favorite?