Un Coeur en Hiver / A Heart in Winter - with Mike D'Angelo

[rakrois]

Bèart is a goddess in acting!...she`s the number one in my list...by far!

[Barbapippo]

what nonsense, Auteuil HAS sentiments, but it is impossible for him to express them, he is just AFRAID of feeling and, therefore, risking to suffer; he's constructed an emotional prison he's incapable to escape from

[tridentmovies]

@Barbapippo

It's not nonsense. It is not made entirely clear by the film whether he does or does not have clear sentiments. You could argue both ways. For anyone reasonably knowledgeable about psychology it should be clear that Stephane is inflicted with what is called "schizoid personality disorder". However, even in reality the jury is still pretty much out about whether the symptoms of SPD are genuine or just a 'front' to stop from becoming emotionally attached to people.

[Barbapippo]

@tridentmovies The fact is, when someone spends so many years and so much effort to escape from his owns feelings, he ends up with losing them forever...

[tridentmovies]

@Barbapippo

Yeah, well that's different from what you said earlier, and not in conflict with what the commentator has said. Nobody said Stephane never had any feelings, just that he doesn't have them anymore now.

[gurlsingerfan]

I agree with tangoseven70 while D'Angelo seems to have a good feel for the film, Stephane I think he misunderstands. There are people who for simply cannot connect to others in the normal way, cannot release themselves. We should note that when Stephane talks about "traumas, terrible childhood, sexual repression" etc, he says "I don't see it." he does NOT say it is not true!

[tangoseven70]

Although I think D'Angelo gives a perceptive accounting of this film, I fundamentally disagree with his take on Auteuil's Stephane. To my mind, Stephane has a rich internal life, and the introductory voice over, besides giving necessary exposition, alerts the reader that Stephane is psychically present. The brilliance of Auteuil's performance and the script is that they make Stephane, so reserved, passive and deflecting, eminently readable to the audience without resorting to melodrama.

[gurlsingerfan]

@tangoseven70 To me the film is really about Beart's character, and about Stephane's female friend, two women who have come into his orbit hoping for something, and are caused to question their own understanding and validation when they do not receive it. It is a beautiful film, if you see it you will never forget it.

[PtAltmVansanTarr]

@tangoseven70 complete agreement