Around a Small Mountain2009

Who was that un-masked man? Surely he is not the Lone Ranger. Maybe he is just a wealthy fellow who senses loneliness and pain and respectfully seeks to address it. Time and again, respected her hurt and privacy. He did out push. He did not play games. He was reliably there and at a respectful distance. She kept herself from responding, keeping herself safe and alone. The path towards wholeness being found, they remained apart yet yearning, trusting that there may be another day, another lonely road, and somebody needing assistance. I'll write the next few lines to enable my kind of ending, but I remain heavily in debt to all those in and behind the film for the beautiful and caring way this touching film was made for us to see.

A touching dramatic performance more akin to a stage play than to a cinema. The ring of the circus wherein the performers execute their acts is a subtle, yet well drawn metaphor for the "stage of Life". The crux of the story, of how a woman returns to the circus 15 years after the death of her lover while he was performing his act sent her fleeing, is a poignant canvas on which the dilemma of overcoming personal tragedy in one's own life is painted in brilliant dramatic colors. The actors in this film are either professional circus performers, or they received extensive training before this film was made, because their "acts" were very good and very professional.

This performance and production was delivered very theatrically, as if for the stage, and it didn't really carry a lot of weight cinematographically. The story was tedious, and the characters spent a lot of time brooding and mulling around ... finally we get the point of conflict for Kate, which was her need to confront a tragedy that she'd held on to for way too long. I can't understand why Vittorio's role wasn't allowed to be the catalyst for that transformation -- It not only made his role end up kind of sappy, but it left the whole story kind of just linger and dissipate.

Bittersweet final film from the great Rivette.

Excellent film the traveling circus on a winding mountain road create a life Jane Birkin is great as Kate and Jacques Bonnaffé performance is brilliant …

Really good,excelent

Very good film for the soul.