Veteran French director Eric Rohmer turns simplicity into a virtue with A Summer's Tale, the third instalment of his proposed quartet of romantic tales based around the four different seasons. A Tale Of Springtime (1989) and A Winter's Tale (1991) preceded this light and gently paced romantic comedy set against the picturesque splendour of Dinard, a beach side resort town in the south of France. A subtle but sophisticated comedy about a handsome but naive and virginal young student who becomes romantically involved with three women, A Summer's Tale has a naturalistic style that is reminiscent of Rohmer's earlier film, the delightful Pauline At The Beach.

The central character is Gaspard (Melvil Poupard), who faces a dilemma when he inadvertently becomes involved with three different women during a pleasant three week holiday at the beach. Gaspard is actually waiting for his girlfriend Lena (Aurelia Nolin), with whom he thinks he is in love. But in her absence he spends a lot of time seeing the sights in the company of beautiful anthropology student and part time waitress Margot (played with verve by Amanda Langlet, from Pauline At The Beach), who wants their relationship to remain purely platonic. At a dance party Margot introduces Gaspard to the sexy and vivacious Solene (Gwenaelle Simon), who pursues him with vigour, although her enthusiasm is a little overwhelming for the shy student. In the confused heat of his misguided affection and passion for the three women, Gaspard separately promises each of them a trip to the nearby island of Ouessant, and is then forced to choose between the three.

Gaspard's indecisiveness is at times infuriating, although Rohmer himself remains fairly non-judgmental in depicting the ironies of this exquisite dilemma. The film itself centres around how Gaspard attempts to resolve this embarrassing crisis, which is of his own making, and much of A Summer's Tale follows the hapless protagonist as he strolls along the beach, discussing love, emotions, and debating his choices. Audiences will also delight in trying to guess which of the three women Gaspard will ultimately choose, a playful artifice that brings an element of suspense to the deceptively simple but somehow emotionally and intellectually engaging material.

A Summer's Tale is refreshingly low key and laid back in style, and although not a lot actually happens on the screen, the film's deliberately unhurried structure is propelled along by the witty, insightful and perceptive dialogue that further explores the director's usual concerns of love, happiness, friendship and relationships. Rohmer has assembled an attractive young cast who seem quite natural in their roles, and the performances have a casual, unforced ring to them. Diane Baratier replaces Rohmer's regular cameraman Nestor Almendros, but her luscious cinematography captures the beauty and tranquillity of the Brittany seascapes and imbues the film's setting with a warmth and glossy surface that is ultimately appealing and visually satisfying.

© 1996-97 Greg King / Used With Permission