A Man and a Woman
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Synopsis
Claude Lelouch’s Academy Award–winning international sensation is a paragon of swooning cinematic romanticism and 1960s chic. Against the rain-swept backdrop of the Normandy coast, two widowed single parents—race-car driver Jean-Louis (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and film-script supervisor Anne (Anouk Aimée)—find themselves falling for each other. But are they ready to move on from the shadows of their former lovers? Reveling in its stars’ chemistry and unfolding as a sublime swirl of shifting film stocks, whirling camera work, and time- and space-collapsing editing—all set to Francis Lai’s unforgettable score—A Man and a Woman endures as one of the most intoxicating love stories ever told.
Picture 8/10
The Criterion Collection delivers Claude Lelouch's A Man and a Woman on Blu-ray, presenting the film in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 on a dual-layer disc. The 1080p/24hz high-definition presentation is sourced from a new 2K restoration performed by Éclair, taken from a scan of the 35mm original camera negative (though I suspect additional sources may have been utilized as well).
On the whole, this looks quite good, with one questionable aspect aside. Considering the film was shot on multiple stocks in both color and black-and-white, I imagine the restoration work wasn’t especially straightforward, but the results are impressive, particularly when it comes to cleanup. There’s virtually no visible damage, with the only anomaly being what appears to be dirt on the lens in a few shots. The scan also picks up a wonderful level of detail, including the varying grain structure; finer in some sequences, heavier in others. The encode largely keeps up, though there are occasional issues, including a bit of noise in the shadows and some clipping in the highlights.
The color grading is where I find myself a little more uncertain. Some scenes carry a greenish-yellow tint, though it’s not applied uniformly across the entire film with moments, including a few evening shots, appearing to be toned back a bit. The black-and-white material also varies, with some scenes leaning warmer and others (particularly nighttime sequences) skewing cooler. I can't say how accurate this is to the intended look, but it’s clear a deliberate approach has been taken, with shifts occurring from scene to scene. For the most part it works well, supported by solid black levels, though those can appear slightly murky at times.
That said, this is still a very strong presentation. Whether due to the condition of the materials (which are in excellent shape I must say) or the film’s varied production methods, it’s hard to say how likely a 4K upgrade might be, but this Blu-ray more than holds its own.
A Man and a Woman - Screen Captures
Audio 7/10
The French PCM soundtrack also fares quite well. Dialogue, including the film’s narration, comes through cleanly with a strong sense of range, while Francis Lai’s iconic score sounds absolutely superb. There are no noticeable signs of damage or distortion, making for a very solid presentation overall.
Extras 6/10
Criterion assembles a decent edition here, starting with a new 25-minute interview with director Claude Lelouch. The filmmaker recalls how he discovered his love of cinema (his mother apparently hid their family from the Gestapo by spending entire days in movie theaters) and traces his path into filmmaking. He eventually arrives at A Man and a Woman, discussing its origins and overall design, viewing it as a musical kind of film. Resources were limited, of course, which meant he worked with a very small crew and limited budget, with the latter leading him to actually enter the car used in the film into the Monte Carlo Rally so he could shoot footage around that, which was significantly cheaper than staging the event. He also expresses his surprise at the film’s success.
It ends up being a passionate discussion filled with engaging details about both the production and his stylistic choices, and it leads nicely into a 22-minute making-of documentary assembled by Lelouch in 1996 using footage shot during filming. This material includes interviews with Lelouch and the film’s two stars, Anouk Aimée and Jean-Louis Trintignant, alongside behind-the-scenes footage, including material from the racing sequences and what may be one of the jankiest-looking camera mounts I’ve ever seen strapped to a car (though I have no doubt there has been worse).
Criterion also includes an 11-minute television program, Portrait of Claude Lelouch at 28, which chronicles the film’s journey to Cannes. Though it concludes with the premiere itself, the bulk of the program focuses on Lelouch and his collaborators beforehand, capturing moments from hotel downtime to a dinner gathering.
Also featured is Lelouch’s 1976 short film C’était un rendez-vous, presented with a brief 3-minute introduction by Lelouch drawn from the earlier interview session. The 9-minute film—shot in a single take—follows a man racing through the streets of Paris, apparently trying not to be late for a date, with speeds reportedly reaching 125 mph. Mounted to the front of the car, the camera captures everything from a first-person perspective, and the result is both entertaining and, at times, genuinely unnerving, especially given the apparent lack of safety precautions. As a bonus, it comes from a new restoration.
The disc then closes with two trailers: the original French trailer (surprisingly more action-oriented than expected) and what appears to be a newer international one created for the restoration. The included insert features an essay by Carrie Rickey, who explores the film’s energy (particularly through its camerawork and editing) while situating it alongside other post–New Wave works of the period. She also offers a few recommendations for further exploration of Lelouch’s work.
The essay provides a welcome academic perspective, though I do wish Criterion had produced more new material, or perhaps included something focusing on the film’s technical construction. I’m also a bit surprised that A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later didn’t make an appearance, though licensing costs may have played a role (and its reputation isn’t exactly glowing). Still, what’s here makes for a decent, if ultimately unspectacular, set of supplements.
Closing
Not quite the lavish special edition I might have expected, but it still offers a handful of solid supplements alongside a strong presentation. It also serves as a clear upgrade over Warner Bros.’ long out-of-print DVD.
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