R.I.P. Eric Rohmer (1920-2010)

French auteur Eric Rohmer died today, aged 89. Unswayed by fashion or taste, he made some 24 films over 50 years, most of which are low-key, naturalistic and literary. None of them contained sex or violence (though in Claire’s Knee, when letch Jérôme finally touches Claire’s knee, it’s more exciting and erotic than any number of meaningless cinematic shags) and mainly featured young, affluent French folk discussing love and morals. They’re great, but an acquired taste. In Night Moves, Gene Hackman says, ‘I saw a Rohmer film once... it was kinda like watching paint dry.’ Yeah, they’re kinda like life (if you’re young, French, white, middle class and intellectual).

I have fond memories of watching Claire’s Knee (1970) with my girlfriend at the time, Clare. Naturellement, my hand was on her knee for most of the film.