Claire's Knee (1970)

On lakeside summer holiday, a conflicted older man is dared to have a flirt with two beautiful teenage stepsisters despite his betrothal to a diplomat's daughter and the fact that the girls have boyfriends.

Director:

Éric Rohmer

Writer:

Éric Rohmer

Stars:

Jean-Claude Brialy, Aurora Cornu, Béatrice Romand

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Jérôme
Aurora Cornu	...	Aurora, the novelist
Béatrice Romand	...	Laura
Laurence de Monaghan	...	Claire
Michèle Montel	...	Madame Walter
Gérard Falconetti	...	Gilles
Fabrice Luchini	...	Vincent
Sandra Franchina

Storyline

In this talky lighthearted slow-paced melodrama, Jerome, a cultural attache, spends his last summer holidays as a bachelor at Lake Annecy where he meets Aurora, an Italian writer and old friend. She talks him into a flirt with his landlady's teenage daughter, Laura, which he indulges in until he meets and falls for Laura's blonde half-sister Claire and develops a desire to caress her knee. Jerome eventually dares to try his luck with Claire, only to realize that, unlike with Laura, his affections this time are mostly one-sided.

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Plot Keywords:

dialogue driven | creamy legs | french new wave | mini skirt | lolita | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #347.

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Goofs

The shadow of the boom mic is visible on the ground when Amber and Laura sit in the meadow, and then is seen on her shirt as she stands.

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Quotes

Aurora, the novelist: Writing forces me to keep my eyes open.

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Connections

Followed by Chloe in the Afternoon (1972)

User Reviews

one of the best movies made by Rohmer

This is one of the best movies of Rohmer's earlier series of moral tales. The movie wonderfully depicts the complicated relatioship between the hero and his desires, represented by Claire, and the reality of Claire's younger sister, who as masterfully played by Beatrice Romand. This is a wonderful comedy of manners, in which we can laugh at all the characters, how in their attempts to fool others, they only fool themselves. Rohmer has intricately plotted every action, I enjoyed every moment of the film.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

21 February 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Claire's Knee

Filming Locations:

Lac d'Annecy, Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France

Box Office

Gross USA:

$44,390

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films du Losange

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1