I think it's fair to say that the serious film buff has a set of yardsticks by which to measure newer titles and these of course are of necessity individual. With English speaking films one tends to use Brief Encounter, The Browning Version, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Shane just to cover a reasonable genre spectrum. If I attempted to give examples from French cinema we'd be here all day so take as a given several Pagnols, Prevert/Carnes, Duviviers etc but in recent years I tend to use Brodeuses as the one all later releases have to beat and less than an hour ago the end credits rolled on Claudel's directorial debut which is certainly fit to be mentioned in the same breath as Faucher's Great movie. Whether on stage (where I've seen her in Three Sisters and As You Desire Me) or screen (too numerous to mention) Kristin Scott Thomas is someone I've tended to admire rather than warm to and I have to confess I never thought she would one day reduce me to tears as she did within the hour. Claudel wrote the novel - and adapted it for the screen - on with Les Ames Grises was based so I knew him to be a fine writer and with Il Ya a longtemps je t'aime he has fulfilled the promise he showed. It's not important that anyone of average intelligence can figure out just why Scott Thomas did what she did fifteen years earlier, what matters is the small details that Claudel employs to tell his story, much the same way as Faucher used embroidery as a motif to unfold the story in Brodeuses. Outstanding though she is Scott Thomas has excellent support from Elsa Zylberstein as the sister who offers unconditional love and Frederic Pierot as the Captain to whom Scott Thomas, as an ex-prisoner, must report every two weeks. Though it is an entirely different role Scott Thomas deserves to sweep the Best Acress Awards just as Marion Cotillard did with La Mome and Zylberstein should do the same in the Supporting Actress category. I urge anyone who loves cinema at its finest to see this movie.
Review of I've Loved You So Long
