60 Years Later, This French Gem Remains an Exemplary Romantic Drama You Probably Missed

On May 10, 1966, Claude Lelouch's melodrama A Man and a Woman premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film was a sensation in France and beyond – it won two Oscars, and became a hallmark of 1960s French cinema.

Sixty years later, it remains one of the defining romantic dramas of the mid-20th century, yet many viewers still overlook this underrated masterpiece.

What Is 'A Man and a Woman' About?

Jean-Louis is a racecar driver who is raising his son alone. Anne is a young widow who recently lost her husband, a stunt driver. The two meet by chance at the door of their children's boarding school, and thus begins their love story.

The two quickly become close and realize they have another chance at love. However, the poignant memory of their lost loved ones prevents them from taking advantage of it.

'A Man and a Woman' Was a Rebellion Against Rebellious Colleagues

Lelouch debuted during the French New Wave, though he was never among its leading figures. Prior to A Man and a Woman, he directed seven movies that were stylistically similar to the works of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.

However, he was unable to replicate their success – after the failure of Les Grands Moments in 1965, Lelouch contemplated suicide.

Success came when he abandoned rebellion in favor of simple happiness for his characters. The characters of the New Wave traveled across France, always on the run and going nowhere. Jean-Louis and Anne, however, were constantly on the move toward each other.

While his colleagues rebelled against bourgeois culture and rejected any hint of a happy ending, Lelouch unabashedly combined revolutionary style with a philistine love story. This approach brought him the main prize at Cannes, two Oscars, and national acclaim.

'A Man and a Woman' Has Influenced Modern Cinema, Particularly Richard Linklater's 'Before' Trilogy

Lelouch's experiments weren't limited to presenting melodrama in a New Wave style with documentary-style filming, handheld cameras, and improvised acting.

The characters' relationships were far from conventional love stories. Jean-Louis and Anne found themselves in a love triangle, but their rival was a memory: Anne still loved her deceased husband and could not betray him.

Lelouch's influence on Richard Linklater cannot be overstated. Last year, the director declared his love for the New Wave, upon closer examination, however, it's clear that his Before trilogy was influenced by Lelouch as much as by Godard.

Like Lelouch's characters, Linklater's characters try to understand and rewrite their histories through creativity. However, while Anne made a film, Jesse wrote a series of novels.

These experiments didn't prevent A Man and a Woman from remaining one of the most important movies about love. The story of Anne and Jean-Louis' relationship spanned 53 years. In 1986, Lelouch filmed a sequel, A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later.

The characters reunite after a long separation and attempt to recapture lost time. In 2019, the third installment, The Best Years of a Life, was released. It features an aging Jean-Louis and Anne basking in the spring sun and reminiscing about their youth.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'A Man and a Woman'?

• A Man and a Woman has 75% from critics and 87% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, A Man and a Woman scored 4.1/5.0.

Where to Watch 'A Man and a Woman'?

A Man and a Woman is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.