Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'We Won't Grow Old Together' or 'Break-up')

 

Directed by Maurice Pialat

France 1972

 

Synopsis:
Maurice Pialat's powerful romantic drama examines the final period of a long and ultimately unhappy affair. Jean (Jean Yanne) is an unpleasant, domineering man. Though he still lives with his wife, their marriage has been over for a long time. For six years, Jean has had an affair with the much-younger Catherine (Marlene Jobert). The dynamic of their relationship is moving it toward disintegration also, but Catherine resists it. Scenes of alternating recriminations and reconciliations unveil the anatomy of their breakup.

***

Rare is the film in movie-history that can announce the entire movement of its 'plot' with its title alone. But Pialat's second feature, Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble [We Won't Grow Old Together] does exactly that, encapsulating all the turmoil, and the final end-point, of a couple who among themselves once made a commitment -- and in living together will come to make another one yet.

 

Jean (Jean Yanne, of Godard's Weekend) and Catherine (Marlène Jobert, of Godard's Masculin Féminin) are the couple whose every move charts an advancement deeper into an emotional warzone. Theirs is the classic and the tragic case of an emotional abuse centred around a perplexing, but powerful, interdependency. At last the point arrives that determines the relationship, with all its weekend holidays, its apologies and submissions, can go no further -- and, in a final shot of genius, Pialat discloses all the ways in which the future might be at once liberated, and enslaved, by the past. Based on a novel by Pialat himself, and on the trauma of his own personal life in the years leading up to the film, Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble was a smash-hit at the time of its release -- and yet is arguably one of the most upsetting films ever made. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Pialat's second feature masterpiece, accompanied with an array of supplements, for the first time on DVD in the UK.

Poster

Theatrical Release: May 3rd, 1972 - Paris

Reviews          More Reviews          DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Region 2 - PAL
DVD Box Cover

    

  

 

CLICK to order from:
Distribution

Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Spine # 73

Region 2 - PAL
The 5 other Masters of Cinema DVD packages of Maurice Pialat films:
Runtime 1:42:24
Video 1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.5 mb/s
 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
Bitrate Graph
Audio Mono Dolby Digital French
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Eureka (Masters of Cinema)

Aspect Ratio:
Anamorphic - 1.66:1

Edition Details:
• La Camargue (1966) – a short film by Maurice Pialat [6:06]
• 2003 interview with actress Marlène Jobert [19:08]
• 1972 interviews with Pialat and Jean Yanne, including two scenes deleted from the film [5:08]
• 1972 interview with François Truffaut about Pialat’s films [7:53]
• 1972 conversation between Pialat and associates about the film [12:05]
• Original trailer for Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble, plus six more
• 32-PAGE BOOKLET containing a new essay by critic Emmanuel Burdeau, and newly translated interviews with Maurice Pialat

DVD Release Date: August 24th, 2009
Transparent Keep Case

Chapters 20

 

Comments

Thanks to Masters of Cinema for their screeners, which showed up at the same time as Passe Ton Bac D'abord.

This is another in MoC's line of Pialat films, with L'enfance nue, La gueule ouverte, and Police already available and this, Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble, and Passe Ton Bac D'abord, with Sous le soleil de Satan and À nos amours yet to come. Pialat made only ten feature length films in his career and it's such a pleasure to own and watch much of his fine work through such a competent DVD production outfit like The Masters of Cinema.

 

As with L'enfance nue, MoC have made use of the HD restoration from the French release - it's presented here in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio, anamorphically enhanced and progressive, and with a very pleasing video transfer. The image is very bright - great colors - with a high level of detail - almost to the point of it looking more like 1080 than SD. The results of the video transfer are extremely impressive.

Audio is original mono - clear and consistent.  MoC have added thorough English subtitles.

Supplements are stacked including Pialat's 6-minute short film La Camargue - this is fairly rare and I couldn't even find a listing on IMDb. There is a 2003 interview with actress Marlène Jobert at almost 20-minutes and she still looks gorgeous. There are 1972 interviews with Pialat and Jean Yanne, including two scenes deleted from the film and a 1972 interview with François Truffaut about Pialat’s films. Included are a conversation between Pialat and associates about the film from around 1972 running about 12-minutes. We also get the original trailer, along with those for the other six Pialat titles MoC, have already or, are releasing. A solid selection of extras. The enclosed booklet is at their usual high standard - 32-pages with a new essay by critic Emmanuel Burdeau, and newly translated interviews with Pialat.

I connected much more intimately with this particular Pialat film than any of the others I've seen so far. I'd be very inclined to use the term 'masterpiece' to describe Nous ne vieillirons pas ensemble. Without question, DVDBeaver gives this DVD their highest recommendation!  

Gary Tooze

 


DVD Menus

 

 

 

 

Subtitle Samples

 

 

 

Screen Captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DVD Box Cover

    

  

 

CLICK to order from:
Distribution

Eureka (Masters of Cinema) - Spine # 73

Region 2 - PAL
The 5 other Masters of Cinema DVD packages of Maurice Pialat films:




 

Hit Counter

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive and advertisement free:

Mail cheques, money orders, cash to:    or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!