My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days (1989)
"Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours" (original title)

Lucas has invented a new computer language but at the same time he has been informed about his strange terminal illness during which he has been gradually losing his memory. Shortly after ... See full summary »

Director:

Andrzej Zulawski

Writer:

Andrzej Zulawski (adaptation)

Stars:

Sophie Marceau, Jacques Dutronc, Valérie Lagrange

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Marceau	...	Blanche
Jacques Dutronc	...	Lucas
Valérie Lagrange	...	Blanche's mère
Myriam Mézières	...	Edwige
Laure Killing	...	Ines
François Chaumette	...	Concierge
Sady Rebbot	...	François
Salim Talbi	...	Page
Jean-Pierre Hebrard	...	Michel
Michael Goldman
Marc Zammit
Christophe Luthringer
Isabelle Illiers
Isabel Schiffmacker
Jean Dolande

Storyline

Lucas has invented a new computer language but at the same time he has been informed about his strange terminal illness during which he has been gradually losing his memory. Shortly after that he meets Blanche who acts as a medium in a bizarre traveling show. Dying Lucas follows her to the sea resort where they spend together several days and nights.

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Plot Keywords:

computer | terminal illness | biarritz france | catatonia | death | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

19 April 1989 (France)

Also Known As:

My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days

Filming Locations:

Biarritz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Saris

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Zulawski, Zulawski, Zulawski: my attempt at a review of a French romantic film...

I have only seen one other Zulawski film before this one, POSSESSION, and while I found that film to be better than this one (to be precise: something of a masterpiece, in my opinion), I believe that MES NUITS SONT PLUS BELLES QUE VOS JOURS is essential viewing for anyone who loves French romantic cinema. Though Zulawski himself is Polish, MES NUITS(...) is thoroughly "Francofied", from its almost absurdly poetic title to its frank depiction of violence and sometimes aberrant sexual behavior (not to mention sex in general, of course).

The story concerns Lucas (French singer-actor Jacques Dutronc), a computer genius who has finally hit the jackpot, inventing and selling a new computer language that will revolutionize the field of technology. To be sure, Lucas would ordinarily be thrilled with this, but he has just learned that he is suffering from a rare disease that begins by destroying the memory. With seemingly days left to live, he meets a beautiful, much younger woman in a café: Blanche (Sophie Marceau, then-lover of director Zulawski) is an up-and-coming nightclub performer and model (who seems to have psychic abilities). Though completely different from one another, they have one thing in common: desperation. Lucas's desperation comes from the knowledge of his impending death; Blanche's desperation is more spiritual in nature. Both Blanche and Lucas suffer from memories of tragic childhoods, and both feel alone and unloved even though they should feel on top of the world. The two begin a strange affair that I'd hesitate to call "tender"; there is plenty of passion in this film, but it is all very cold, as I believe was intended. In Zulawski's universe, there is no time for tenderness, and the laws of passion are the only ones worth following. As the film hammers on in an energetic, often funny fashion, it becomes increasingly dark and tragic. By the film's end, we are spending much of our time witnessing a fractured reality from Lucas's point of view. His deterioration is portrayed brilliantly by having Lucas constantly speak, in an attempt to hang on to sense and logic, only to lose all hope as his ability to communicate thought breaks apart, and gibberish flows ceaselessly from his lips. A tragic film, a darkly comic one, but at the last moment, I think an oddly optimistic one.

It's really too bad that so many people have never heard of Zulawski. After seeing only two of his films, I'm convinced that he's a unique and engaging filmmaker who deserves far more respect. Perhaps the future will see a discovery of his work. Quickly, before Zulawski retires...!