L’amour L’apres- midi aka Chloe In The Afternoon, written and directed by Éric Rohmer - 9 out of 10

L’amour L’apres- midi aka Chloe In The Afternoon, written and directed by Éric Rohmer

9 out of 10

A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:

-              https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEVa4_CsRStSBBDo4uJWT8BSWtTTn0N1E and   http://realini.blogspot.ro/

Chloe in the Afternoon is on the New York Times Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:

-          http://www.listchallenges.com/new-york-times-best-1000-movies-ever-made/checklist/5

It is part of a bigger project.

Claire’s Knee has been noted on here and it is in the same series:

-          Six Moral Tales

-          Which ends with Chloe in the Afternoon

Frederic is the protagonist of the tale.

Even if the title refers to Chloe- in the English version.

Frederic is mediating on women, relationships.

He has desires and dreams that involves strangers in the street.

One dialogue is rather humorous.

As the hero meets a couple, in one of his dreams, he is attracted to the woman and that annoys her partner.

Especially since Frederic-in-the dream makes open advances and addresses the woman he does not know…

-          Don’t you see she is with me

-          You can’t change the inevitable

-          Listen…

-          Or you’ll be bitten…

And this Frederic starts imitating the bark of a wolf.

In another instance, he meets-still dreaming- a worker in the sex industry and they talk in a businesslike manner;

-          How much?

-          10,000- which must have been Francs, perhaps the old denominations

One day, when he returns to his office, the dreamer meets a real woman:

-          Chloe- in the Afternoon

She used to be the girlfriend of an old buddy and the protagonist is really so surprised that the look betrays him:

-          You thought I was dead!

-          No, but honestly, after all this time I have forgotten about you

She then starts to talk about what she does- she is a waitress in a place nearby- and her troubles that are serious.

Chloe has contemplated suicide.

And she is pressing ahead, meeting with her “ami” and inviting him to help her, buying presents for wife and kid.

They even meet with the spouse once, while shopping and there is a feeling of both embarrassment and rapprochement.

Chloe increases her pressure.

She declares her feelings.

And she wants a child.

Frederic appears confused.

What he does is for you to find out by watching the film.

It is a worthwhile endeavor.