Agnès Varda wrote and directed this portrait of two women over a 15-year period as each becomes—in her own way—a part of the feminist movement in France. Valérie Mairesse plays Pauline, a rebellious high school girl in the provinces, and Thérèse Liotard is Suzanne, the wife of a frustrated photographer and an overwhelmed mother of two. When the pair meet again 10 years later at an abortion rights rally in Paris, Pauline (who goes by the name Pomme) is working with a theater group and Suzanne has founded a family planning clinic. One could call the film a feminist musical—Pomme and her traveling band The Orchids perform socially conscious songs across the countryside (with lyrics penned by Varda)—but it’s also a touching drama of friendship, sisterhood, and creating a meaningful life. Varda doesn’t emphasize the conflicts that the women face while pursuing their careers and promoting female empowerment, but rather the connections they make with others, empathizing with almost every character in the film. She makes her points through the action rather than dialogue and her collaborative approach to filmmaking gives the film a warm inclusiveness. All in all, it’s a minor classic of feminist cinema and a lovely portrait of self-empowerment in a time of social change. Presented with a new restoration, extras include the 1977 documentary Women Are Naturally Creative: Agnès Varda, Varda’s short films Response de femmes (1975) and Plaisir d’amour en Iran (1976), and a booklet with an essay by film critic Amy Taubin. Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)
One Sings, the Other Doesn’t
Criterion, 121 min., in French w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $29.99, Blu-ray: $39.99 Volume 34, Issue 5
One Sings, the Other Doesn’t
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: