Womanlight (1979)

Reciprocal consolation. The background of two middle-aged people (Michel and Lydia) is gradually unfolded. Michel's wife is incurably ill. They had agreed that she would take her life on ... See full summary »

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writers:

Costa-Gavras, Romain Gary (novel)

Stars:

Yves Montand, Romy Schneider, Romolo Valli

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yves Montand	...	Michel Follin
Romy Schneider	...	Lydia Tovalski
Romolo Valli	...	Galba
Lila Kedrova	...	Sonia Tovalski
Heinz Bennent	...	Georges
Roberto Benigni	...	Le barman du Clapsy's
Dieter Schidor	...	Sven Svensson
Catherine Allégret	...	La prostituée
François Perrot	...	Alain
Daniel Mesguich	...	Commissaire Curbec
Gabriel Jabbour	...	Sacha
Hans Verner	...	Klaus, l'ambassadeur
Jean-Claude Bouillaud	...	Le pilote de ligne
Eliane Borras
Gabriel Dussurget	...	Le directeur des théâtres lyriques

Storyline

Reciprocal consolation. The background of two middle-aged people (Michel and Lydia) is gradually unfolded. Michel's wife is incurably ill. They had agreed that she would take her life on this day. All telephone cables were cut and Michel should leave France for months. But he goes forth and back between the airport and his home street. Once when opening the door of a taxi he destroys Lydia's shopping carrier. They sit down in a café while he writes her a check. During this night they will part and meet again several times. Half a year ago Lydia's husband had a car accident. Their daughter died and the husband got brain injury. His talk is incomprehensible. Tonight is his birthday. Lydia eventually takes Michel to the great feast that is almost over. In the morning they go to Michel's apartment, where police and relatives are already present. Michel and Lydia had agreed to meet at Lydia's apartment on the next morning. When he comes there, a foreign woman invites him in. Lydia soon ...

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Plot Keywords:

car accident | comfort | suicide | prostitute | middle age | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France Italy West Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

29 August 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

Womanlight

Filming Locations:

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Roissy-en-France, Val-d'Oise, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Corona, Société des Films Gibe, Parva Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)

User Reviews

Weary, weary and bad

This had some promise, given the track records of Costa Gavras (Z) and the writer Christopher Frank (La Derobade, L'Important, c'est d'aimer), but this film is a mess. Romy Schneider, always so good in roles in which she's under a lot of pressure, here just looks haggard and irritable. Yves Montand, who can do these roles in his sleep, here does.

The story is simple: two people who have recently suffered a great deal come together for consolation rather than love. The emotional tone of the picture is so confused, so lacking in human interest that even the feeble attempts at humour are welcome--the animal trainer who gets a monkey and a poodle to dance. A new low in cinematic fake compassion is surely the scene in which Montand attempts to communicate with Schneider's brain-damaged husband by means of gibberish. Lila Kedrova as the man's mother displays some welcome charm here.