I am stimulated to write this review because the review of May 16, 2012, expresses opinions exactly opposite to mine. A Woman at Her Window is I believe one of the greatest films of all time.
Boring? Hardly. The script is quite brilliant and allows the radical Boutros (Victor Lanoux) to have great verbal political skirmishes with Raoul Malfosse (Philippe Noiret) that are very engaging. Romy Schneider plays Margot and she has never been more beautiful. She is married to Rico, Italian diplomat, who has somehow lost interest in her. But with great charm and courage he protects both his wife and Boutros.
The passionate love affair is heartfelt and completely believable. At the same time Margot is not insensitive and her final scene with Rico is very moving.
The complaint that the political side is skimmed over seems misplaced here. The political issues raised in Greece in 1936 under Metaxas set in motion the meeting of Margot and Boutros but this is not primarily a film about politics. Rather it is about complex fascinating characters at the upper levels of society, one of whom---Margot---experiences deep intense love as she has never felt before. To complain that we do not see much of the victims of Metaxas misses the point of the story that is being told. Yes Costa-Gavras pushed politics---but at the expense of drama. Pierre Granier-Deferre is the superior director precisely because he focuses on the human heart--real drama.
This film is brilliant and deeply moving and I strongly recommend it.
Boring? Hardly. The script is quite brilliant and allows the radical Boutros (Victor Lanoux) to have great verbal political skirmishes with Raoul Malfosse (Philippe Noiret) that are very engaging. Romy Schneider plays Margot and she has never been more beautiful. She is married to Rico, Italian diplomat, who has somehow lost interest in her. But with great charm and courage he protects both his wife and Boutros.
The passionate love affair is heartfelt and completely believable. At the same time Margot is not insensitive and her final scene with Rico is very moving.
The complaint that the political side is skimmed over seems misplaced here. The political issues raised in Greece in 1936 under Metaxas set in motion the meeting of Margot and Boutros but this is not primarily a film about politics. Rather it is about complex fascinating characters at the upper levels of society, one of whom---Margot---experiences deep intense love as she has never felt before. To complain that we do not see much of the victims of Metaxas misses the point of the story that is being told. Yes Costa-Gavras pushed politics---but at the expense of drama. Pierre Granier-Deferre is the superior director precisely because he focuses on the human heart--real drama.
This film is brilliant and deeply moving and I strongly recommend it.