Cesar Et Rosalie (1972)

A divorced woman (Romy Schneider) with a young daughter is involved in a relationship with a blustery self made businessman (Yves Montand) and they are happy in their relationship. But when her ex-lover (Sami Frey) re-enters the picture, things change and bring discontent to all three of them. While romance in films often provide what we want to see and dream about, this is a film about the reality of love. The messiness and pain and circumstances beyond our control. There have been films about two people in love with the same person and the strain of sharing and no one getting 100% of what they want before. JULES AND JIM and SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY come to mind. But the director Claude Sautet (LES CHOSES DE LA VIE) relieves the sobriety of the situation with dashes of humor. One can't help but like Montand's coarse peasant who made something of himself and his pain is the most palpable of its three protagonists. He reacts emotionally, he doesn't think or analyze, he acts impulsively even if it's the wrong thing for him to do. Anyway, who wouldn't be in love with the glorious Romy Schneider? A film that looks at love in the cold light of the morning rather than warm honeysuckle soaked evening. With Isabelle Huppert and Bernard Le Coq.