A Summer's Tale

In typical Rohmer fashion it isn’t flashy about how much it’s doing. But every frame and scene is packed with thematic depth. And it’s all entirely of the cinema. On the surface you could see this movie and think it’s somewhat literary. But then details reveal themselves with the usage of time, clothing, locations, and the choreography of movement in each scene. Some of the anxious pacing is almost balletic. Bodies that are moving in a way entirely driven by their subconscious. And then moments where their physicality becomes extremely apparent and every movement is highly intentional. It’s such a true to life thing that you could not capture on a page. And Rohmer is one of the few directors who could so subtly convey it on the screen. I think often of the Tarkovsky quote about Bresson’s ability to achieve complete simplicity. He would have liked A Summer’s Tale.