The French film "Lover for a Day" Directed and Written by Philippe Garrel - Love for the Film Lingers

If you're of the opinion that the Parisians are more passionate in love & more laissez faire regarding affairs, this movie will promulgate your view.  I sense in general the French emote more, smoke more, indulge in sexual rendezvous making most of us (myself included) feel prudish and, that I'm missing out!  "Lover for a Day" written & directed by Philippe Garrel (b France 1948) is a  noir & blanc film that makes American film noire pale in comparison.  French cinematographer Renato Borta's eye for light, shadows & underlying emotions is revelatory.  French composer/musician Jean-Louis Aubert's original score is magnificent and heightens the intensity & despair of le coeur.  The film's plot is not the point.  People fall in love, fall out of love, infidelities are inevitable and oh blah dee love & life go on.  The 3 main characters in the film are Gilles, a middle-aged college prof., his daughter Jean and Gilles' lover Ariane (one of Gilles' students).  Jean & Ariane are both in their 20s beautiful & sensual women.  Jean is completely distraught over the breakup with her lover & is returning to her father's home late at night.  Gilles welcomes her in and then returns to bed where Ariane is already asleep.  In the morning, the 2 women meet & commiserate over inevitable heartaches.  Ariane offers Jean some sage advice "Don't waste emotion on someone who doesn't love you."  (Ah,  but the heart wants what the heart wants.) Gilles is uncertain if the women's alliance is advantageous but he's more concerned whether Ariane is having sex with other men.  His fears are confirmed when he discovers her having sex in a college bathroom where we were first voyeurs of Ariane & Gilles embroiled in lascivious sex.  There is a female narrator to the film which doesn't deter from the feeling of watching real life play out.  Throughout are embers of emotion that flicker & burn alongside cigarettes & wine in smoke filled bistros.  The film is alluring, sensual & captivating.  "Lover for a Day" makes American romance films feel staid.  Garrel's film is not a happy ever after story but it captures the intuned je n'ais se quoi that the French maintain as a banner of pride.  "Lover for a Day" is ooh la la, how life goes on...