The Mother and the Whore (1973)

Synopsis: This masterpiece by French director Jean Eustache is a scathing love story set in the aftermath of May 1968. Jean-Pierre Leaud stars as Alexandre, a Parisian slacker whose "open" relationship with... This masterpiece by French director Jean Eustache is a scathing love story set in the aftermath of May 1968. Jean-Pierre Leaud stars as Alexandre, a Parisian slacker whose "open" relationship with live-in girlfriend Marie (Bernadette Lafont) seems ideal, but proves damaging and unrealistic on an emotional level. He begins an affair with Veronika (Francois Lebrun), a sexually promiscuous nurse at a local hospital, and they fall in love, despite their chosen, casual lifestyles. The three of them later try to make it as a menage a trois, but mostly they drink lots of whiskey, smoke lots of cigarettes, play lots of records, and say lots and lots of brilliant things over the course of the film's 215 minutes of running time. Isabelle Weingarten co-stars as one of Alexandre's previous loves, and Jacques Renard plays his sardonic friend. Look for Eustache himself behind sunglasses in a funny bit at a supermarket. This fearless, funny, and insightful film has been called one of the key works of 1970s cinema. It's in French with very profane subtitles. [More]

Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Bernadette Lafont, Francoise Lebrun, Jacques Renard

Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Bernadette Lafont, Francoise Lebrun, Jacques Renard, Genevieve Mnich

Director: Jean Eustache

Director: Jean Eustache
Screenwriter: Jean Eustache

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