Metrograph

Though rightfully an international arthouse phenomenon, Rohmer’s Moral Tales are remarkable in just how little they scream for attention, notable for their modesty of scale and their dedication to delicate observation rather than anything resembling firebrand provocation. The first two entries in the series are perfect instances of this: in The Bakery Girl of Monceau, a law student (a young Barbet Schroeder) flirts brazenly with the title character while brooding over his romantic failure with another girl; in Suzanne’s Career, in which two young men, a woman-shy introvert and a self-styled Don Juan, get mixed up with—and, in their individual ways, misuse—independent minded Catherine Sée, only to find their egos far more fragile than hers. Not exactly “high concept” stuff on the page, but on the screen… an abundance.

Suzanne's Career (Éric Rohmer, 1963, 55 mins)

The Bakery Girl of Monceau (Éric Rohmer, 1963, 23 mins)

Distributor: Janus Films