The Widow Couderc

A lot of introverted French drama. Not much talking, but on the other hand you have Alain Delon and Simone Signoret, who both play absolutely wonderfully. I have no doubt that the original story by Georges Simenon is honest, but Alain and Simone brought soul, image, and emotions to those two characters. A soul that makes the movie a beautiful experience. An image that soothes with every shot of that lonely farmhouse in the middle of French fields. And emotions that make the movie an unforgettable experience, something that the French of the 70s era managed with ease. Something that touches the soul of the viewer who seeks out old French films. (02/14/2023)

Excellent yet reserved performances by famous actors, a simple yet multi-layered story about one (or two) women's misery that gets an unexpected boost in the shape of a visit from a man who behaves differently from all the redneck machos in the backwater of a village, make for a somber movie that is nevertheless full of life and hope. Whatever ends up happening to her. When a director has actors and a script like this, words are superfluous: in the clothes washing scene with the widow with the other villagers, Simone Signoret manages to celebrate her triumphant victory just by scrubbing a man's shirt. SUMMARY WITH SPOILER: Everything would have gone wrong anyhow, even if the gendarmes hadn't shown up. But those few moments of happiness were wonderful. (02/23/2023)