Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle [4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle] *** (1987, Joëlle Miquel, Jessica Forde) – Classic Movie Review 9465

Writer-director Eric Rohmer’s 1986 French film Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle [4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle] is a lesser but still delightful and fascinating work by the esteemed director of Claire’s Knee (1970).

It is what it says it is: four adventures of provincial art student Reinette (Joëlle Miquel) and worldly-wise Sorbonne scholar Mirabelle (Jessica Forde). They meet in the country, become flatmates in Paris and deal with a horrible waiter, a thief and an art dealer.

It runs in four episodes: 1) L’heures bleue; 2) Le garcon de café; 3) Le mendiant, la kleptomane et l’arnaqueuse; 4) La vente du tableau. [1) The blue hour; 2) The coffee boy; 3) The beggar, the kleptomaniac and the con artist; 4) The sale of the painting.]

Four Adventures of Reinette is made cheaply, and quickly, with unknown actresses and improvised dialogue, but Rohmer has found his way through to a clever and lively character study of youth and of people’s foibles.

Also in the cast are Philippe Laudenbach, Yasmine Haury, Marie Rivière, Béatrice Romand, Gérard Courant, David Rocksavage, Haydée Caillot, Fabrice Luchini, Jacques Auffray, M Housseau and Mme Housseau.

Jessica Forde was born in 1966 in London, with both British and French nationalities. She has worked as a stills photographer since 2003.

Joëlle Miquel was born on 26 January 1972.

Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle [4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle] is directed by Eric Rohmer, runs 99 minutes, is made by Compagnie Eric Rohmer and Les Films du Losange, is released by Les Films du Losange (1987) (France), New Yorker Films (1989) (US) and Artificial Eye (UK), is written by Eric Rohmer, is shot by Sophie Maintigneux, is produced by Eric Rohmer, and is scored by Ronan Girre (composer dance music) and Jean-Louis Valéro (composer theme music).

Joëlle Miquel came up with the film’s idea and is the art painter.

Rohmer has an uncredited cameo as Man in Supermarket.

M Housseau and Mme Housseau, playing the neighbours, were thanked on the credits.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9465

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