This film is so mellow, in fact it is one of the mellowest I ever watched. As the title mentioned the story is about a Sunday on the countryside. Two children visit their old father, a famous painter (monsieur L'Admiral). The son (Gonzague) with his wife and three children, the daughter (Irene) unexpected and alone. Nothing really happens but from the dialogues a story unfolds. The painter is slightly disappointed by his son who also feels that he lets his father down by not following in his footsteps and become a painter himself. The daughter is everything that the painter longs to be: a free spirit. She drives a car (which must be very uncommon for a woman in those days) and is rumored to have lovers. The painter himself had received many prizes during his long career but is aware that others painted more inventive. He lived long enough to see that artists like Monet, Cezanne and van Gogh are receiving the credits for the development of the art. Irene still tries to push him to paint more from his heart in stead of the beautiful but dull paintings he made during his career.
I have a feeling that this film is somewhat autobiographical for the director. Bertrand Tavernier is a well known and respected director but doesn't have the same reputation as revolutionaries like Godard, Resnais or Rivette. It seems to me that he says here that in his career he tries to follow his colleagues of the Nouvelle Vague and New Wave of French Cinema but in the end opted to make these lovely filmed movies that will cause no uproar and neither will upset any viewer. His message is "If I would make films like Godard they wouldn't have the same power so instead I choose to make these movies with lovely scenes and these little stories". There is a good example in this film of the very conventional character of the painter. He asks Irene what she thinks about the new art of photography. As the story is situated around 1905 photography must be known to the painter all of his adult life, so it is hardly a new form of art.
There are two possible explanations for the end of the film. After his children have left Monsieur L'Admiral puts the painting of a couch he was working on away and places his easel in front of the window. It could be that after his discussions with Irene he starts a new painting but now chooses to follow his heart and emotions. It also could be a metaphor for the end of his life which will not be very far away.
For me the movie was a real pleasure to watch. Beautifully shot and with well worked-out characters. Still it's no masterpiece because it is so mellow. You watch in admiration but you're not drawn into it. The same difference between a good painting and a brilliant painting.
I have a feeling that this film is somewhat autobiographical for the director. Bertrand Tavernier is a well known and respected director but doesn't have the same reputation as revolutionaries like Godard, Resnais or Rivette. It seems to me that he says here that in his career he tries to follow his colleagues of the Nouvelle Vague and New Wave of French Cinema but in the end opted to make these lovely filmed movies that will cause no uproar and neither will upset any viewer. His message is "If I would make films like Godard they wouldn't have the same power so instead I choose to make these movies with lovely scenes and these little stories". There is a good example in this film of the very conventional character of the painter. He asks Irene what she thinks about the new art of photography. As the story is situated around 1905 photography must be known to the painter all of his adult life, so it is hardly a new form of art.
There are two possible explanations for the end of the film. After his children have left Monsieur L'Admiral puts the painting of a couch he was working on away and places his easel in front of the window. It could be that after his discussions with Irene he starts a new painting but now chooses to follow his heart and emotions. It also could be a metaphor for the end of his life which will not be very far away.
For me the movie was a real pleasure to watch. Beautifully shot and with well worked-out characters. Still it's no masterpiece because it is so mellow. You watch in admiration but you're not drawn into it. The same difference between a good painting and a brilliant painting.