HEART TO HEART

Pascal Thomas' films have been likened in style and theme to those of Jean Renoir or Francois Truffaut, yet Thomas reveals an affinity for what he calls “comedies of character,” as seen in the films of Henry King and Leo McCarey and in the comedies of the Thirties and Forties. HEART TO HEART is his eighth film, a delightful narrative spanning 15 years for the Roussel family. The story is told by the youngest of three daughters through flashbacks which delineate both dramatic and humorous events. Brigitte (Anne Caudry) recalls growing up with her sisters in the '50s, and the family's move from the suburbs to Paris. Completely different types, the three daughters share one thing in common: They have to deal with the prospect of unwed motherhood. Though Brigitte is clearly the pivotal character, HEART TO HEART is rich with distinctively individual personages of great interest and appeal. We see relationships undergo the day-to-day changes that constituted the confusion of attitudes that preceded the French revolt of May 1968, particularly from the feminine standpoint. Like any family, the Roussels have their share of failed hopes, interwoven with jubilant and genuinely comical moments that seem peculiarly French, yet universally identifiable. “Engrossing and tender. . .” – Judith Crist, Saturday Review