We Won't Grow Old Together (1972)

You won't be disappointed!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Blistering performances.

The acting in this movie is really good.

It is hard to deny that for some narcissistic gonzos cinema is nothing less than a veritable personal fiefdom where any narcissist can shamelessly indulge in prolonged bouts of self-centeredness. It is with such a dangerous thought that one can recognize Maurice Pialat as the poster boy of this kind of explosive film making. His film 'We Won't Grow Old Together' bears too many marks of his repulsive personality that there would hardly be any viewers who would be in a healthy frame of mind to consider it as an entertaining film. Obnoxious behavior, lack of responsibility and hypocritical stance vis à vis male female relationship can be identified with ease in this film. Experienced French actors Jean Yanne and Marlène Jobert are the key reason to watch this long- métrage about a troubled relationship. They have worked too hard to portray the inner feelings of a difficult albeit creative director who was unable to strike a fine balance between his personal as well as professional life.

In view of my kick-start to learn French, I will watch more French-speaking output, so today my random pick is Maurice Pialat's second feature film, Pialat is often cited as an unsung maestro among his generation, so never to late to begin a voyage into a new auteur's world. WE WON'T GROW OLD TOGETHER, the title is self-evident for its glum denouement, the story centers on a couple, Jean (Yanne) and Catherine (Jobert, the future mother of Eva Green!), their suffocating relationship is undergone a sea change after 6 years together, meanwhile, Jean's estranged wife (yes, he is still married) Françoise (Méril) is back, but don't expect she is going to fight for Jean, it is way too melodramatic for a Gallic love battlefield, from A to Z it is a tug-of- war between Jean and Catherine. The film is chatty, and the most frequent scenario is they are talking in Jean's car, often when Jean picks her up from train station or drives her to the station, Catherine is circling around with her parents (Fabréga and Galland) and grandma (Dalbray), as a way of evasion towards Jean's volatile manner or his oppressive passion. Her quandary is egregiously presented from the scenes where she is treated like a complete trash by him just because she cannot be a perfect assistant for his shooting, then being roughly thrown out of the hotel, it is all done in a surprising and unsettling rush, yet, Catherine keeps going back to him, even after a insufferable humiliation from his minutes-long harangue, anyone with a normal conscience can squarely feel repellent to Jean, a hairy male-chauvinistic swine, why on earth Catherine has to endure all this? There is no twist or hidden secrets whatsoever, simply because she loved him for 6 years, as a woman, she cannot cut things loose all of a sudden, but gradually she is retreating from Jean, and seeking for a safe means to get rid of him, this is a higher level of women's wits, always secure a Plan B before cutting off Plan A. By slowly revealing her inside feelings, e.g. her love for him is waning, Catherine plays on-and-off with him excessively, however, it is then, Jean's attitude starts to alter, he admits that he didn't love her at first, but when she flinches, he wants her more than ever, a typical psyche of vacuous men, who always wants those he cannot get hold of. The film is a sinuous chamber drama congested with drab conversations, and there are minimal characters bolstering the structure of a feeble plot, it is inevitably overwrought with heavy- handed pretentiousness and arbitrary editing choices which disrupt a free-flowing chronic narrating, the two leads are exacting their best to make things as intriguing as possible (Yanne won BEST ACTOR in the Cannes), but due to the fact the story is strictly autobiographic, for those who have not been so experienced in a sadomasochistic emotional turmoil, the film is too far- fetched and overtly affected. Thus, its niche market is rather limited, but to be fair, the film at least showcases that Pialat is a mastermind of human psychology, and a confident filmmaker who is brave enough to strip off all the mood-soothing scores, and dissects the most ugly facet of a futile romance, full of violence, exhaustion and angst, applaud-able but not entirely recommendable.

The French film "Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble" was shown in the U.S. as "We Won't Grow Old Together (1972)". It was written by Maurice Pialat, directed by Maurice Pialat, based on a novel by (can you guess) Maurice Pialat.Pialat was known as an arrogant and unpleasant person, and he's written a novel about a middle-aged guy who is arrogant and unpleasant, but is nevertheless loved and respected by everyone he meets. Jean (played by Jean Yanne) does some sort of work in cinema, although the only work we ever see him doing is filming a crowd scene for a few seconds as he walks along with a hand-held camera. Also, at one point, Jean is painting his apartment, and he's reminded that he's supposed to "work on that script." Marlène Jobert plays Jean's girl friend, Catherine. Catherine, who is much younger than Jean, is long-suffering, physically abused, and psychologically abused. Nonetheless, she always comes back for more. The physical abuse is that Jean slaps her and rips her clothing. (Maybe there's more, but we don't see it.) The psychological abuse consists of Jean telling Catherine that she's stupid, knows nothing, and is ugly. (He specifically points out that she has freckles and "rats' legs.") We can see that she's not stupid, and she doesn't know about films because he hasn't taught her anything. As for being ugly, check out Marlène Jobert on Google Image and decide for yourself.We are repeatedly informed that Catherine and Jean have been together for six years. However, Jean is still married to Françoise, played by the beautiful Macha Méril. Françoise is apparently still under Jean's spell, because she tries to help him win Catherine back when Catherine has made one of her periodic efforts to leave the relationship.So, what we are watching is Maurice Pialat telling us that he has that je ne sais quoi that entitles him to treat everyone badly and still be loved and respected by all. In fact, they don't just love and respect Jean, they worry about Jean. What will happen if Catherine really does leave him? Incredible. If you're looking for a film that will frustrate you while you watch it, then this is the movie for you. I don't know if there's an opposite to a feel-good movie. If there is, this is that movie.

This French romantic drama adapted from a novel written by auteur director Maurice Pialat himself, tells the story about a turbulent and passionate relationship between a man named Jean and a woman named Catherine.Maurice Pialat's second feature film "We Won't Grow Old Together" is an uncommonly realistic and naturalistic love-story, driven by its arduous narrative, fierce dialog and varied pace. As the story unfolds, Maurice Pialat moves closer and closer into the minds of the main characters, and with his expressive screenplay and acute camera work, he gives an in-depth and meticulous examination of a romantic relationship between a middle aged couple which is interpreted with authenticity and emotional endurance by Jean Yanne and Marlène Jobert. Like Ingmar Bergman, Mike Nichols, Lindsay Anderson and John Cassavetes, Maurice Pialat reaches a level of realism, intensity and honesty which is admirable to watch. This semi-autobiographical tour-de-force is a rigorous study of character. Recommended for those interested in auteur directors, French cinema, cinema history or romantic dramas from any period. The kind of movie that immediately captures the viewer.