La Collectionneuse (1967)
Directed by Eric Rohmer

Film Review

Eric Rohmer's third film in his series of Six Contes Moraux is similar in style to the first two shorter films (La Boulangère de monceau and La Carrière de Susanne).  All three films involve a great deal of improvisation (this film more so) and excessive use of voice over to centre the narrative around the principal protagonist.  La Collectionneuse is also strikingly different, because of its longer runtime and the fact that it is in colour.

The film presents a cynical, even cruel, view of human relationships.  Of all the male leads in Rohmer's Moral Tales, Adrien is perhaps the least likeable - not only is he too sure of himself but he also exhibits a nasty streak of malice.   This partly explains why this Moral Tale is somewhat less engaging and ultimately less satisfying than the others.

Film Synopsis

On the pretext of buying a painting for his new art gallery, Adrien heads off to the south of France for his summer holidays at a villa belonging to a friend, whilst his girlfriend Mijanou is away in London.  He meets up with Daniel, an aspiring artist, and plans to spend the next few weeks in idle tranquillity.  The unexpected presence of a young woman named Haydée puts paid to these plans.  She apparently collects men more easily than Adrien collects paintings, and her latest amorous conquest is hastily ejected from the villa by Adrien after two sleepless nights in succession.

Haydée opts to stay at the villa with Daniel and Adrien and in next to no time these three have become the best of housemates.  Despite his initial prejudices, Adrien finds himself strongly attracted towards Haydée, but realising she is not right for him he tries to arouse Daniel's interest in her.  Daniel resists his friend's all too obvious attempts at matchmaking but he cannot help becoming the young woman's next conquest.  After this, it isn't long before Adrien and Daniel begin to fall out and the holiday is ruined...