The death of their grandmother leaves to her grandchildren Milena , Jean-Paul and Seraphine all her possessions. Milena (Françoise Brion) waits at her grandmother's castle for her cousins Jean-Paul (Paul Guers) and Seraphine (Alexandra Stewart). Milena hardly knows them. The last time she saw Jean-Paul he was one year old. Seraphine (called Fifine by her friends) arrives first and later comes Jean-Paul. Other characters in the film are the majordomo Cesar (Michel Galabru) and the maid, Prudence (Bernadette Lafont) that will provide the comic moments of the film. Miguel (Gerard Barray, the notary, will be in the castle for the reading of the will. Miguel knows Milena quite well and has been her intimate friend. And there will be the fourth man. He's the real man!
"L'eau a la bouche" (whose English title seems to be "A game for six lovers") is a comedy of errors and mistakes. Its story is simple enough - the women are looking for love (and sex) and so are the men. There will be love, lies, misunderstandings, little dramas etc., but "L'eau a la bouche" doesn't lose the light touch and it plays a game with the story and its formulas. The story may remind some people of the vaudeville plays of the early 20th century in France, but "L'eau a la bouche" is typical "nouvelle vague". The film should be watched in the same way that one listens to good jazz music. A story is told but it's the atmosphere and the mood that make the film. Those that watch the film just for the story will probably be disappointed. They could find the film fluffy and inconsequential, but those that really love cinema as an audiovisual art will like the cameras, the discreet lighting, the scenery, in short, they will feel the charm of the film. I also liked particularly well the beautiful actresses Françoise Brion, Bernadette Lafont and Alexandra Stewart - three different kinds of beauty.
The story takes place in a castle in the countryside (a green valley that spreads till the horizon and from far away we can see the mountains). The castle is surrounded by gardens and there's an artificial round pond (good for swimming) that has a wooden pavilion in the middle. Inside the castle, luxurious decors, soft lights that help to create an intimate atmosphere, old pictures where naked women show and look - maybe they point the way. There's a moment of joy when the night is deep and the camera circles round the castle, the soundtrack enhances the beauty of the moment. We see just the outline of the castle lost in the vastness of the night - the poetry of darkness.
I've really enjoyed "L'eau a la bouche". The film doesn't intend to be a masterpiece, but it's intelligent and stylish. Recommended for those who love the "nouvelle vague".
