MovieChat Forums > Un dimanche à la campagne (1984) Discussion > Something seems like it's missing

Something seems like it's missing

posted 13 years ago by Remnant_Of_The_Abyss
5 replies | jump to latest

I've watched this film several times and while it's an enjoyable, nice story with good acting and wonderful cinematography, I wish I could appreciate it more. I think it has all the elements to be a truly great film, but it didn't turn out that way for me.

I'm thinking perhaps it needed a little bit more comedy. The children were there and it just seems like a golden opportunity was lost to make it a bit more interesting with some of their antics.

Perhaps a little more drama between the father and the daughter would have spiced it up, or a big argument between sister and brother, I don't know.

It just seems like this movie is a bit flat, with no effervescence.

Does anyone else get the same impression?

By the way, if you check out my list of FLF's below, you'll see I'm a sucker for French-Countryside films. This one just doesn't do it for me like some of the others I've seen.

ROTA Top Foreign Lang. Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/qQvbXmXhhCU/

[–] Pope_Bucky 13 years ago

By the way, if you check out my list of FLF's below, you'll see I'm a sucker for French-Countryside films.

Self promote much, ROTA?
Thank God I'm an atheist.

Be pompous, obese, and eat cactus.

[–] Remnant_Of_The_Abyss 13 years ago

Tell me what I've got to gain by "promoting"???

Am I not doing people a favor by recommending a list of films that they might like, all FLF's?

Is this how you accept gifts? You spit in someone's face? What the hell is your problem?

ROTA Top Foreign Lang. Films: http://www.imdb.com/list/qQvbXmXhhCU/

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rob-949 12 years ago

You should take a film class so you can appreciate theme better and look at action instead of just words, and also what's not said as much as what's said.

See my post in what the film's ending means and keep that in mind as you rewatch the film.

"It's so simple. In hearing the words of his daughter and contemplating them he's found the courage to start painting the way he wants to, so he removes the canvas he's been painting and turns the artist's easel around and added a blank canvas. The significance of turning it around is that he's not longer going to keep painting different corners of his atelier as his daughter complained of, but start painting beyond its walls and in the style he felt he should have been painting in without disappointing his wife that he hadn't found his style (since she's now deceased). In other words, his daughter's lust for life (and maybe even repeated examples of her selfishness) have taught him to follow his inspiration and even if it's one last canvas, he'll finally paint in the style he's drawn to, and with subject matter not inside those four walls of his atelier."

Also look at examples of where the painter's daughter is selfish (moving the scarf even though he says he has it arranged for a composition, moving her brother's cards out of the way despite him being in the middle of a game, and so on).

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

The film is painterly and gentle. It didn't quite do it for me but I responded to the melancholy undertone and prevailing mortality. It almost made me cry but so much was it a painting that I didn't quite allow it closer. I don't think it needed more humour.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues