I went to Paris for the first time a couple of years after this film was made. It was my very first trip to Europe, and I stayed for three months. Many memories have been rehydrated by this film. But I've noticed that just about every film made in the 1980s looks dated (and this one is no exception) because of the extreme adherence to the bizarre dictates of fashion of that decade: big hair, disco-dancing, high-waisted jeans and big shoulders. Everyone smacks vaguely of Madonna from that era. You cannot really mistake the images for any other decade.
As far as content, the film itself offers a great deal of philosophizing on relationships. Based on a couple of examples, I would say, in fact, that Roemer is probably more of a philosopher than a film maker. Not that this film is bad, but its focus is on ideas, not so much visuals. Throughout this lengthy examination of relationships, I found myself wondering why anyone would find Louise attractive given her rather annoying demeanor. So I suppose that the ending was predictable. And everyone knows what happens after the curtain comes down: Octave loses all interest in Louise the moment she becomes receptive to him.
As far as content, the film itself offers a great deal of philosophizing on relationships. Based on a couple of examples, I would say, in fact, that Roemer is probably more of a philosopher than a film maker. Not that this film is bad, but its focus is on ideas, not so much visuals. Throughout this lengthy examination of relationships, I found myself wondering why anyone would find Louise attractive given her rather annoying demeanor. So I suppose that the ending was predictable. And everyone knows what happens after the curtain comes down: Octave loses all interest in Louise the moment she becomes receptive to him.