DVDs: French Cinema

In France, the older woman is considered to be sophisticated and desirable. The prime (and primal) examples here live, love, and die on their own terms, and each is played magnificently by a legendary actress at the height of her powers. In the scathingly frank and surprisingly sweet Cet Amour-Là (2001), Jeanne Moreau plays the novelist/filmmaker Marguerite Duras - who, although in her 70s, is still able to produce great works and conduct a stormy affair with a fellow writer 50 years her junior. In Ma Mère (2004), Isabelle Huppert plays Hélène, a driven explorer of the erotic who watches while her female lovers introduce her teenaged philosopher son to the S&M life so he can better understand human nature. The film earns its NC-17 rating.

Cet Amour-Là has a rather limited color palette, but the images are still warm. Moreau's voice is even warmer, rumbling like a beautiful cello in this dialogue-focused film. The music is nicely separated between the left and right front channels but never travels to the surrounds. Ma Mère's daytime images are bright but not too detailed, and its smeary nighttime scenes lack definition and depth. The sound is clear but flat. Cet Amour-Là has interviews, and Ma Mère comes with deleted scenes and interviews. Both: French, Dolby Digital stereo; anamorphic widescreen. Cet Amour-Là : [NR] letterboxed (2.35:1); single layer. Ma Mère: [NC-17] letterboxed (1.78:1); dual layer.