PAULINE AT THE BEACH

France, 1983, 94 minutes, Colour.
Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Gregory, Feodor Atkine.
Directed by Eric Rohmer.

Pauline at the Beach is the work of veteran writer-director, former critic, Eric Rohmer. In the late 1960s he began a series of films which were moral fables. He continued his thematic approach to relationships in Proverbs and Comedies of which this is one. He later did a series of Tales of Four Seasons.

What is common to the work of Eric Rohmer is a look at the foibles of men and women, their images of themselves, relationships, foolish relationships as well as fidelity and infidelity.

This film has the light touch. Marion and her young cousin, Pauline, go to Normandy for a holiday at the end of summer. They meet an old friend as well as an older roué with whom Marion becomes involved. He is selfish, focuses on sexuality – and also has an effect on Pauline.

The film shows the stupidities of people in their relationships, especially Marion. She is a poseur and patronises her cousin. However, the film focuses on the changes in Pauline, her experience, her growth in character.

Rohmer, a writer, always gives his characters intelligent dialogue, even when they are being foolish.

1. The work of Eric Rohmer, his proverbs and comedies? A cinematic moralising storyteller? The place of this film within a series of Proverbs and Comedies?

2. An entertaining French film? A comedy of manners and morals? The light touch for serious themes? Communication and moralising by situation, character, by intellectual discussion?

3. The proverb tone of the film: 'The tongue that gossips bites itself', Chretien de Troyes. The significance of the proverb, its being illustrated and explored? How 'serious' a proverb?

4. The structure of the film: the audience entering and leaving with Pauline and Marion? The holiday atmosphere, expectations, hopes, the telling of truths, the discovery of self deception?

5. The atmosphere of the house, the beach, the town? The contemporary look and atmosphere? Attractive locations, the visit to San Michel? Beauty, likeness? an atmosphere for falling in love, affairs and trifles?

6. The title and its focus on Pauline: young, the comparison of her attitudes and situations with those of Marion? Pauline and her powers of observation, detachment, involvement, truth, wisdom, understanding, coping? Pauline's innocence and her growth in experience?

7. Pauline and her background, her parents, the holiday? Affluence, international travel? The holiday with Marion and sharing the experience with her? The encounter with Pierre on the surf, her liking Pierre but not loving him, his being older? The conversation on the beach with Henri and her being ignored, ousted? The dancing ? and their remembering to ask her opinions? The encounter with Sylvain? Going searching for him. not going home? Her dislike of Henri, his age and her rejecting him. the comparison with Sylvain and his pleasantness, talking, the meetings, dancing? The petting together at Henri's house? Her disappointment in him, the end? Pierre and his confusing the issues? The emotional aspects to her holiday. growth in understanding? Her idealising of Marion (and Henri's 'robot theory'), her coping?

8. Marion as a focus of the film, centre stage? Beauty, career, marriage and divorce? The encounter with Pierre and his infatuation with her, rejecting him? The sailing? Henri and her throwing herself at him and the expectations that he would succumb to her? The outings, the dancing, the discussions about love, the night with Henri and her continued seeing him? Pierre's reactions, Pauline's? Sylvain and his attractiveness? The visit to San Michel? Catching Henri betraying her but not believing that he could be guilty? Pierre's story? The going to Paris, the return and the disappointment? Her explanation of drawing Henri to love her and her complete self deception? The compromise ending? The men's comment that she was too perfect?

9. Pierre and his ordinariness, his failure with Marion (and why?), the dog, the surf, following? His living alone, his story of the affair and the split. his moping? His seeing Louisette? The construction about Henri and his being correct? His gossiping and telling the others? The search with Louisette and the discussion? The agony of the ending with Henri, with Pauline? Waiting for Marion?

10. Henri and his smoothness, his daughter and care for her, his work, theories of love? Playboy, dancing, the affair? Outings, swimming and the liaison with Louisette, the situation and his compromising Sylvain and Louisette? The taking of Pauline into his house to care for her, touching, her and her reaction?

11. Louisette, her fiance, selling of the cigarettes and sweets, an easy woman, the swim, sexual liaison? The story and her reaction? Her being easy to despise ? her mannerisms, her seeming superficiality? The characters condemned for their attitude towards her?

12. Sylvain: ordinary young boy, his becoming involved, attraction towards Pauline, the petting session, his visit to Henri's, his being bundled into the bathroom and compromised, his not betraying Henri, his being hurt? Hurting Pauline? Pauline's response to him ? his age. interest, tenderness?

13. The importance in Rohmer's films of the quality of the discussion about love and relationships? How much insight?

14. Audiences involved with the characters and their dilemmas? Or merely observing them? Knowing and understanding them, feeling their reactions? Exasperation at their vanity and self deception? The effectiveness of this type of moral comedy?