And Now My Love (1974)

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

"And Now my Love" directed by Claude Lelouch is a philosophical and socio political film which follows 3 generations leading to two adults who will someday meet each other when they become mature enough to deal with love. The director sends many social and political messages throughout this love story and one must pay close attention to gather all information. The film begins at the turn of the century. The director uses camera techniques to illustrate each period. It changes to conform to the movie-making industry. During the early 1900s, the film is a black and white silent film. First, we are shown a photographer and woman falling in love. Second, a lady giving birth. Third, a letter arriving during combat. The letter is by the cameraman and when he shouts, "it's a boy!" a bomb falls on him. A very nice montage of a human's life: Fall in love, produce children, and then we die. Repeat cycle. Then the story begins with a dancer who is having an affair with an officer. She marries his superior. It is unclear whom the child belongs to. The husband soon discovers who the girl's father really is and kills the dancer. Suddenly we are thrown into a new period. We move into an era of color and sound. A train appears of men and woman returning from the concentration camps. A man locks eyes with a woman. No words are spoken but we know they are about to fall in love. From this scene we know all the characters shown are Jewish and related to one another. Finally, we are introduced to the new generation. Sarah who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth as her father (the man on the train) has become very successful with his shoe making business.There is a parallel storyline of a young woman who was born with everything and a young man who had nothing. On Sarah's 16th birthday, it is clear her father spoils her rotten. A famous French singer Gilbert Becaud sings at her birthday party. He seduces her, takes her virginity, she falls in love, he leaves her, and she is left with a broken heart and tries to commit suicide. She survives and her father takes her on a trip to many exotic cities while teaching her about life experiences and the world. The filmmaker expresses monotonous philosophy. The filmmaker's personal views on religion, culture, history, etc. Sarah is a spoiled, ungrateful, and care free young woman so she sees no value in what her father says. She doesn't really appreciate it until after her father is gone. She didn't fight for what she has like her ancestors and when she inherits it all she has no idea what to do. Sarah has many love affairs but she is not content. She wants to have a child but doesn't really get along with men. She gets bored easily and moves on to the next thing that sparks her interest without a care. She starts out immature and turns into a social conscious writer often gaining insight from her father's words and her experiences. On the other end, there is Simon who is the complete opposite of Sarah. Apparently he is just her type. We are given clues to this. For instance, Sarah mentions in a restaurant with her father, she wants "a man who is part rascal and part gentlemen." This describes Simon well. During the parallel stories we see him steal Becaud records after we are shown Sarah's party. He is a juvenile delinquent. We know Simon is mischievous but he is also a romantic. He struggles to survive but seeks a girl who sweetens her coffee with three teaspoons of sugar (as his jail mate said he must). When he is interested in a girl, he always asks her. We see Simon get his heart broken. He goes from thief to porn filmmaker to successful commercial director. Throughout the film, there are updates on the time period with historical figures, events or cultural icons (WWI, Hitler, Marilyn Monroe, Berlin Wall, Nixon administration). Our two protagonists cross paths many times but do not meet until the end when on a plane and Sarah asks for three teaspoons of sugar. This is definitely a romantic film about destiny but at its core it is a political film addressing how society is rapidly changed throughout the century. The filmmaker was obviously influenced by both French and American culture and uses his own philosophy of life to move the film along. The film draws attention to politics such as wars, emptiness of western world, unionizing of workers, class, a bored generation who has everything, and degradation of society. However, in the end, the new generation is still shown to be capable as our two protagonists find each other.

This is my lifetime favorite movie too, replacing its predecessor of early years, IF. I don't know how many times I've seen it, more than 20. I like the music, the evolution of film portrayed in the techniques used, the love at first sight but you need to know the history to understand why it happens theme, the fact that the movie he's making in the movie is the movie you're seeing, the intricacy, the detail, the irreverence. The last scene through the airplane window when he notices she takes the mythical extra lump of sugar always makes me cry. I rarely see this film around in video stores anymore. I want to see it again. Haven't seen it in maybe a decade.

Truly one of the most romantic films ever made. Beautifully shot by LeLouch, this undeservedly obscure film should be required viewing for all movie lovers. Don't miss it.

Lelouch, the master of finding the humour and tragic desperation within human relationships has crafted a signature piece of romance for all us romantics. One annoying flaw is repetitiveness that could have been better edited, but the grand perspective is well worth the extra half hour. The film misses greatness but is well worth watching.