THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN (L'HOMME QUI AIMAIT LES FEMMES)

France, 1977, 119 minutes, Colour.
Charles Denner, Brigitte Fossey, Leslie Caron, Nelly Borgeaud, Genevieve Fontanel.
Directed by Francois Truffaut.

The Man Who Loved Women is an entertaining film by Francois Truffaut. Truffaut made his mark in the late '50s with The Four Hundred Blows and the subsequent films about Antoine Doinel. He made a number of dramas on interpersonal relationships e.g. Jules And Jim, The Soft Skin. He also made the version of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. In the '70s he made a number of interesting and delightful films especially the Oscar winning Day For Night. At the time of The Man Who Loved Women, Truffaut made the last in the series of Antoine Doinel's stories, Love On The Run, and it resembles this film. At the same time, by contrast, Truffaut wrote, directed and acted in the film about death, The Green Room.

1. An entertaining film? Humour, romance? A portrait of human nature? The relationships between men and women? The focus on a man and his need for women? The comedy touches, the serious tone, blending?

2. Francois Truffaut's light touch? His themes and focus especially on the man who needs women? This film's relationship to his other films. especially the Antoine Doinel films?

3. The Gallic style of the film? French society, manners, morals? The particularly French aspects? The response of non-French audiences?

4. The structure of the film: the funeral and the flashbacks? The narration by Genevieve? The story from the point of view of Bertrand? The transition to the writing of the book and the publication of the book? The title of the book and the title of the film? The film's perspective on women, on women as the objects of men's love and desire? As symbolised by the pair of legs, especially during the final credits?

5. The choice of Charles Denner as the symbolic Frenchman? Audience response to Bertrand and identifying with him? His ordinariness, small stature, appearance, manner, mannerisms? His serious appearance? as if his life depended on his relationships? The style of his encounters with women? The glimpse of the legs, his search for information. the car journey to search for the woman glimpsed? His interview with her and the woman leading him on? The discovery of Delphine and the relationship with her, prison? Liliane and the restaurant? The meetings and outings with the 41 year old woman? The girl from the car rental agency? The encounter with the woman in the store, his watching her walk, her work as babysitter? The reaction in him to the sight of attractive women? How realistic ? how contrived, comic?

6. His comments on himself, taking for granted his relationship with women? Chasing them, driving, his typist? The type of women to whom he was attracted? His attitude towards his own sexuality, affairs, emotional relationships? His amoral attitudes towards life? How did the film visually comment on this e.g. all the legs at the airport?

7. His decision to write the book? his life story and insight into himself and relationships? (The film slowing down as he began to recount his own story?)

8. The media people? their response to him? Especially as regards his book and its publication? The contrast with seeing him at work ? and people's relationships with him there? The contrast with the people at the hospital?

9. The gallery of women? their beauty, personalities? The nature of their encounters with Bertrand, their love for him, attraction towards him, mothering him? The girl from the car rental, the phone call and the drive seeking out the woman and making a rendezvous with her, the babysitter, the middle-aged woman and her fashions, Delphine and her erratic behaviour, Liliane, the silent secret? Genevieve?

10. Vera and her serious approach? The contrast with the women to whom he was attracted? The memories of his marriage? Why had he married Vera? The chance encounter? Leslie Caron's presence in comparison with the other younger and glamorous women? The seriousness of the sequence of their meting and discussion?

11. Sexuality and the sensual approach, the erotic, the relational? The seriousness with Vera in comparison with the others? The ironic comments of the publishing firm's staff on Bertrand's morals?

12. The significance of Bertrand's life? the relationships, the search for permanence, the irony of the accident? The book publication and his response to it? consultations, the discussions with Genevieve and the relationship with her, seeing the book through production? (And the response of the typist?)

13. The final overview of the women ? his chasing a woman and having the accident, the irony of the manner of his death? His behaviour in the hospital ?seeking the nurse? The mood of the film and the audience's response to Bertrand's death?

14. All the women present at the funeral ? the visual humour of this, the ironies in comparison with first impressions at the film's opening, the finale and the summary of Bertrand's life? The comment as each woman was photographed at the funeral?

15. The overall impact of this story of a man and his attempt to live his fantasies?