JEAN-LUC GODARD

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

France, 1983.  Sara Films, JLG Films, Films A2.  Scenario and adaptation by Anne-Marie Mieville.  Cinematography by Raoul Coutard, Jean-Bernard Menoud.  Produced by Alain Sarde.  Costume Design by Renee Renard.  Film Editing by Fabienne Alvarez-Giro, Suzanne Lang-Willar.

One of the most popular and accessible of Jean-Luc Godard’s films made in the eighties, which won the Golden Lion at Venice. Maruschka Detmers plays a member of a political terrorist organization who begins an affair with a police officer. Their conversations and lovemaking are the framework for Godard’s ruminations on sex and politics and, always the rambler, the film is hard to follow if you’re actually looking for something to follow. If, however, you’re interested in watching his passionate explosions of sentiment, using the cinema as a mouthpiece for his observations, you’ll have a good time (particularly the scenes where he appears as an insane, fictional version of himself). If for nothing else, the film is worth viewing for its dazzling cinematography.

Venice Film Festival Award:  Golden Lion