The same Fernando Trueba: artist and model As usual, Trueba paints a special island of calm and harmony, where time, despite the most terrible events (for example, the Second World War), goes its own course without noticing the most terrible shocks. Traditionally, these islands are associated with art and love. It's happening this time. Harmony will be due only to the talent and success of the famous artist, who in turbulent times takes up work with a new model. It is the relationship with the model and will be devoted to the film.
In truth, on a similar topic, there is one amazing film that is very difficult to beat – “Charmful prankster” by Rivette. It's basically the same thing. About the creative process, immersion in the female image and completion of work (coming out of the creative trance). There are many similarities, but no miracle happened. Rivette remained a master, and Trueba simply masterful talent. His film, of course, is no more than a glimpse of a brilliant French extravaganza, but made with dignity and taste.
First and foremost, Jean Rochefort is good here. A man who has crossed the eighty-year mark is so accurate and measured that he gives out probably the best role in his great career. Here he appears before us as a real Creator, seeking, according to his words, harmony in order to quickly break it. Aerobatics.
So is Aida Folch. Trueba, unlike Rivette, did not seek inner secrets in the heroine and seek out demons. He simply showed such a clear “Yin” simplicity with a slippery ironic savvy cunning. At least with the help of ordinary visual solutions (plans, editing), the director was able to show behind the young naked female forms something elusive, characteristic.
I didn’t think the ending was too important. But apparently something deeply personal was put into the final composition. This film also has a different tragic meaning. Competing in absentia with the talent of Rivetta, where the master shows the painful choice of the Creator, Trueba turns out to nullify everything with some ordinary suicide. And so all the obvious advantages of the picture somehow dim. This is no more than a
6 out of 10