Cléo de 5 à 7 (1962)

Second viewing; first viewed on April 28, 1996.

English title: Cleo from 5 to 7

A young singer awaits the results of a medical exam screening for cancer. In the meantime she shops, meets her lover, rehearses with her musicians, strolls through the streets of Paris, rides in a car with a friend, watches a short film, goes to a park, etc., pondering and talking all the while about life or trivialities.

Drama which is intelligent and elegant in conception and execution. The challenge of sustaining interest through every move of the main character for the period of one hour and a half is not a small one. To be honest I was not exactly ravished by the whole proceedings, but maybe my judgement was somewhat impaired by the bad quality of my copy (the same in both viewings). Furthermore, in this second viewing I found out that it was cut; the following dialogue between Cléo and the soldier was missing (this is from a subtitles file I found on the internet; I do not vouch for the quality of the translation):

[begin quote]
661
01:10:19,014 --> 01:10:22,142
- Gone?
- It's full of them, most days
662
01:10:22,551 --> 01:10:26,487
- And today...?
- They're all at the other end
663
01:10:26,722 --> 01:10:29,350
They've gone to see
the workmen at the pond
664
01:10:30,793 --> 01:10:33,523
There's plenty of
running water here
665
01:10:33,996 --> 01:10:36,362
But topical things are more fun
666
01:10:37,700 --> 01:10:39,395
What's funny is
that you should know
667
01:10:40,736 --> 01:10:41,862
I'm curious
668
01:10:42,471 --> 01:10:44,962
Why don't you go, then?
669
01:10:45,207 --> 01:10:47,767
I'm more lazy than curious.
I believe without seeing
670
01:10:49,144 --> 01:10:50,839
Anyway, I prefer being here
671
01:10:51,747 --> 01:10:53,044
Isn't it cool?
672
01:10:54,250 --> 01:10:56,878
- It's not very hot.
- I'm all right
673
01:10:57,119 --> 01:10:59,451
It's the first day of summer
674
01:10:59,688 --> 01:11:02,213
For me, summer is when
I'm on holiday
675
01:11:02,524 --> 01:11:06,085
Today it's official.
You're Flora - Goddess of Summer
676
01:11:06,328 --> 01:11:08,592
- What talk!
- I like talking
677
01:11:08,831 --> 01:11:14,133
Did you know that today's
the longest day of the year?
678
01:11:17,172 --> 01:11:18,605
The longest! How true
679
01:11:18,974 --> 01:11:23,411
Today the sun leaves Gemini
for Cancer...
680
01:11:23,679 --> 01:11:25,237
Stop talking like that
681
01:11:27,016 --> 01:11:27,846
I'm sorry
682
01:11:46,935 --> 01:11:48,402
- Going?
- Yes
683
01:11:49,004 --> 01:11:51,336
I'm sorry my information bored you
684
01:11:51,740 --> 01:11:53,469
What's the time?
685
01:11:53,742 --> 01:11:55,642
About six or quarter past
686
01:11:56,779 --> 01:11:58,747
- Waiting for someone?
- No
687
01:11:59,214 --> 01:12:02,115
- Me neither.
- But all men wait for women...
688
01:12:02,418 --> 01:12:06,354
Then, they speak to them...
I don't usually reply. Today I forgot
689
01:12:07,289 --> 01:12:09,723
My thoughts were elsewhere.
You look so calm
690
01:12:09,958 --> 01:12:11,983
I'm on leave
691
01:12:12,194 --> 01:12:15,561
I'm half in uniform.
I leave tonight
692
01:12:15,864 --> 01:12:19,265
I had three weeks.
I've done nothing, it's too short
693
01:12:20,235 --> 01:12:21,702
I like talking to you
694
01:12:23,772 --> 01:12:25,330
- Married?
- No
695
01:12:25,774 --> 01:12:27,742
Do I look
as if I'm out on the prowl?
696
01:12:28,477 --> 01:12:32,072
You seem to be waiting
for something, rather than someone
697
01:12:32,514 --> 01:12:34,004
An examination result
698
01:12:34,550 --> 01:12:35,744
You're a student
699
01:12:35,984 --> 01:12:37,884
No, medical examination
700
01:12:38,187 --> 01:12:39,916
- Are you worried?
- Yes
701
01:12:40,155 --> 01:12:41,247
What are you afraid of?
702
01:12:48,464 --> 01:12:51,160
Cancer.
I'll know for sure this evening
703
01:12:51,734 --> 01:12:54,635
It could be something else
704
01:12:54,870 --> 01:12:56,997
A fortune teller confirmed it
705
01:12:57,639 --> 01:12:59,869
- You believe in cards?
- I'm afraid of everything...
706
01:13:00,642 --> 01:13:03,406
birds, storms, lifts, needles...
707
01:13:03,679 --> 01:13:06,443
and now, this great fear of death
708
01:13:06,782 --> 01:13:09,649
In Algeria, you'd be scared
all the time
709
01:13:09,952 --> 01:13:10,884
How dreadful
710
01:13:11,253 --> 01:13:14,654
They die for nothing.
That's what upsets me
711
01:13:14,890 --> 01:13:18,451
I'd rather die of love
for a woman
712
01:13:19,328 --> 01:13:21,387
Were you never in love?
713
01:13:21,630 --> 01:13:24,121
Often, but never
as deeply as I wanted
714
01:13:24,366 --> 01:13:26,129
It was always the girl's fault
715
01:13:26,335 --> 01:13:28,860
They just like to be loved
716
01:13:29,071 --> 01:13:33,064
They're afraid to give themselves,
to lose something
717
01:13:33,308 --> 01:13:35,071
They love by halves
718
01:13:35,644 --> 01:13:38,579
Their bodies are playthings,
not their lives
719
01:13:39,214 --> 01:13:41,239
So I'm stopping halfway, too
720
01:13:42,518 --> 01:13:44,486
Excuse me for saying this
721
01:13:44,720 --> 01:13:46,210
You're right
722
01:13:47,122 --> 01:13:48,521
Have you been in love?
723
01:13:49,792 --> 01:13:52,317
Like you said: I've always
been afraid to give in...
724
01:13:53,095 --> 01:13:55,495
But what was the use?
I was saving myself for...
725
01:13:56,064 --> 01:13:58,055
Aren't we dramatizing a bit?
[end quote]

I was previously informed that this film was a 1961 release, but IMDB currently lists its release year as 1962. Oddly, in the "Company Credits" section of that site we find this:

Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique (CCFC) (1961) (France) (theatrical)

It is unusual for a film to have been distributed the year previously to its release, so I suspect an error somewhere.

Rating: 62 (up from 61)