Strangers When We Meet

Customer Reviews:

An oldie but a goodie!.......2007-07-19

This is one of my all-time favourites. Yes, Kim Novak is a little wooden, but, then again, she always was. Kirk Douglas is tortured, confused and terrific. The pathos is felt the whole way through. I have watched this film so many times you would think I would get sick of it, but, no....well worth it.

Strangers When We Meet DVD.......2007-03-31

High Quality Material - Super MovieStrangers When We Meet

Illicit Love - 60's style.......2007-03-20

I have to say I am not a great fan of Kirk Douglas but he certainly tries to convince us that he is in love with the other woman - Kim Novak - but maybe a little too much? Problem is there there is no real chemistry between the two. Everyone else does an admirable job. Kim Novak is absolutely lovely and her portrayal of a tortured, unhappy, and unfilled woman is a gem. The story itself is very dated - the affair is made to seem a shocking situation, but in today's world it is a bit laughable. In the film, Douglas and Novak are sneaking out at night and both give their "unsuspecting" spouses excuses but can their spouses be that stupid not to have an inkling of what is going on? Of course! This film was made in the early 60's! Some fun phrases appear in the film that are campy: Novak's mother: "Margaret, I am not a tramp!", "Novak to her husband: "Don't you want me? Do you think I'm pretty?'. etc. etc. I doubt anyone when finished viewing the film will give it any oscars, but it is fun to watch although a few edits could have helped. My main reason for liking this film? Novak was never more naturally beautiful, and when I remember her, this is the film I remember. For those persons who will mention Vertigo (which is my favorite film), her peformance in this film is classic but it is Hitchcock's film. "Strangers" is Novak's (Sorry, Mr. Douglas). The ending of the film is flat and expected. To be honest, Douglas goes back to his wife, but as I mentioned before, there was no real chemistry, and when he tells Novak at the end, "I love you Maggie, I really do", one wonders, if he really does, why not take the chance? But then this was a early 60's film and you didn't do that then. Unless, of course, you were Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

for fans of kim novak.......2007-01-15

woman had that something special. easy to believe what she does here. seems I fall in love with her every time I see her. the ending is a heartbreaker.

DVD cover does not do her justice. Kim is far better looking than this.

A beautiful romantic movie.......2006-11-10

It seems a real story when a man who try reach a success career and leave his family in second place them appears a pretty woman who makes him crazy. Then when he look back, see his career and family going away, them he give up his real love.

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Strangers in Good Company is an Excellent Movie
Brilliant and Endearing
Finally on DVD! A must see movie
It's okay to be yourself.
"Survivor" for Seniors, but OH, so good!

Strangers in Good Company
Starring: Mary Meigs , Beth Webber , Michelle Sweeney , Constance Garneau , and Cissy Meddings
Director: Cynthia Scott
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000296R6
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Amazon.com

This touching, 1991 Canadian film directed by Cynthia Scott takes the unusual step of casting nonprofessional actors, and the gamble pays off very well indeed. The story concerns eight elderly women whose tour bus breaks down driving through the wilderness. While waiting to be rescued, they find an abandoned house and look for food. The days and nights they end up spending away from civilization prove restorative to their spirits as each character gets an opportunity to tell her life story. The ensemble cast, as it turns out, essentially plays themselves in the film: the tales they tell are truly their own. A very talky, slowly paced production, it's best to get into the gentle rhythm of Scott's design and let the experience flow in the same way it does for the performers. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Strangers in Good Company is an Excellent Movie.......2006-03-29

I thoroughly enjoyed Strangers in Good Company. It is my new favourite movie.

Brilliant and Endearing.......2006-02-24

This movie is one of the best. A heart warming, slow paced reflection on life, the indomitable human spirit, and the meaning of true friendship when it occurs between strangers. Join this group of elderly ladies whose day outing on a bus turns into a journey of interdependence, self disclosure and survival. The spirit of these characters is wonderful to see unfold and it is made all the better when it becomes clear that they are in fact 'acting' their own lives. The movie is accompanied by a Director's commentary that should not be missed and an outline of the characters. Anyone with a heart - and maybe an elderly mother/aunt/grandmother - will not fail to be moved by this brilliant movie. A must see and an exceptional addition to your library - mine is nearly always 'out on loan'!

Russell Mills. Sydney, Australia

Finally on DVD! A must see movie.......2005-10-22

It is heartwarming and you'll want to meet the women in this movie. I was so happy when I saw it came out on DVD. If you have never heard of this movie, take a chance and see it!

It's okay to be yourself........2005-06-09

The music was beautiful, next the scenery, then the honesty of the characters in their human condition and the peaceful pace. It is okay to be yourself...whatever.

"Survivor" for Seniors, but OH, so good!.......2004-12-20

This is a seriously good movie, for those on the search for a serious good movie, but don't go expecting much by way of a plot. With much of it improv, it feels more like a documentary. Like "survivor for seniors." What happens if you drop a busload of very old women off in the woods and tell them to fend for themselves?

It's all very civilized, and there's not a lot of urgency about it. No pulling straws to see who gets eaten. Just a bunch of old women (and one mildly injured young one) trying to figure out how to divide an apple into 7ths while sharing the details of their lives. The most intriguing, for me, aspect of this film is that the actresses played themselves. Nonagenerian Constance Garneau was really Nonagenerian Constance Garneau, and when she weeps with fear at the thought of her impending death it doesn't feel like acting. Octagenerian Cissy Medding's bewildered grief as she faces her own fear of a life unloved and alone is not feigned.

But don't let me mislead you--this movie is not depressing. It's affirming. These old girls get along very nicely with each other and their world, and while there are no answers to the deeper dilemmas they face (we do get the sense that Constance may find hers), they manage their present challenge with an enviable bon vivant. In places, in fact, it's very funny. The interaction between Mary Meigs and Cissy Meddings when Mary reveals her awkward secret is priceless.

Good friends, good movie. I highly recommend.

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Lovers and Other Strangers
I love this movie!
The Ultimate Wedding Film
A Fine Comedy
lovers and other strangers

Lovers and Other Strangers
Starring: Beatrice Arthur , Bonnie Bedelia , Michael Brandon , Richard S. Castellano , and Bob Dishy
Director: Cy Howard
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00020X87U
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Description

First comes love, then comes marriage'then come loads of laughs in this highly amusing (Time) comedy about a romantic coming-together that's about to fall apart! With a delightful (Los Angeles Times) cast, including Diane Keaton in her film debut, Lovers and Other Strangersis hilarious [with] funny, sad, touching and moving moments (The Hollywood Reporter)! As Mike and Susan prepare to walk down the aisle, the groom gets a case of cold feet. But turning to friends and family for support could send the couple running for matrimonial cover! Susan's father is fooling around with her mother's best friend; Mike's brother is divorcing his high-school sweetheart, and his parents are living a loveless lie. The rocky road to happily-ever-after has never been so uproarious as in this vividly real, genuinely funny movie (Leonard Maltin).

Customer Reviews:

Lovers and Other Strangers.......2007-07-04

Cy Howard's knowing, often side-splitting ensemble piece benefits from stand-out turns by Gig Young (as the bride's philandering father), Anne Jackson (as the object of his adulterous affections), and Richard Castellano as the groom's awkward but well-meaning Dad. Bob Dishy almost steals the movie as a would-be Casanova. Wonderful early `70s flavor, and look for a young Diane Keaton as the groom's unhappy sister-in-law.

I love this movie!.......2007-06-21

Dated, yes, campy yes, made for TV cheap, yes,..but I love this movie. It just flat out works. The whole is much greater than the sum of it's parts. The "eat more veal Frank" table scene and the "what's the story Richy?" scenes in the house make me split my sides with laughter every time I see it. I've watched this movie a dozen times or more and it just gets better. Very funny, yet still engaging on more than just a comedy level, it does tug a bit at your heart at times and if you're getting a bit old it'll bring back some memories too.

The Ultimate Wedding Film.......2007-03-29

Big weddings, small weddings, eloping, runaway brides, etc.
What viewers get with LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS is a laugh riot of multiple situations occurring simultaneously set in the early '70s.
Characters drawn broadly, in the context of an Italian-WASP wedding that speaks to every ethnic group in any time period.
Watch and you see the nuanced performance of the late, great Richard Castellano (who most people recognize as the "Caporegime" Clemenza from the GODFATHER)as the blustery, tender-hearted father of the groom with the hilarious Bea Arthur as his doting wife.
Gig Young, Cloris Leachman as the stuffy, clueless parents of the bride, a very young and sexy Bonnie Bedelia.
Look carefully and you will see a very young Diane Keaton in one of her very first roles.
The story centers around an era when men and women co-habiting out of wedlock was still frowned upon, yet the young couple, obviously in love, become the participants in a very traditional wedding.
Today, we think of THE WEDDING CRASHERS, but this is in the era of THE GRADUATE, THE GODFATHER, etc. with no twist, just a lot of laughs.
One cannot help but hum along and shed a tear at the playing of the song,
LOVE LOOK AT THE TWO OF US, that subsequently became a big hit for the CARPENTERS.
A timeless classic that seems to be forgotten but will never seem dated or unfunny.
"So Richie, what's the story...?"

A Fine Comedy.......2007-01-25

Viewing this film after a hiatus of some 40 years, I find it still one of my favorite comedies. Bea Arthur and Richard Castellano are outstanding in their character roles as is Gig Young- all representing the earlier generation coping with the exigencies of the "new" generation of the 60's. The entire cast turns in a fine performance and I would highly recommend this film as one of the best comedies of its genre.

lovers and other strangers.......2007-01-22

Amazon provides quick and efficient service. I would recommend Amazon to others.

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Intimate Strangers
Knocking on the wrong door
A New Word Is Coined: "Transfixiation"
Unvarnished love
Someone Knocking on the Wrong Door; Unique Love Story Highly Nuanced

Intimate Strangers
Starring: Sandrine Bonnaire , Fabrice Luchini , Michel Duchaussoy , Anne Brochet , and Gilbert Melki
Director: Patrice Leconte
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00068S3QY
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Customer Reviews:

Intimate Strangers.......2007-07-20

An ingenious French treat with psychological underpinnings, director Leconte's "Intimate Strangers" is a meditation on the randomness of life and fate. Though the conceit may sound a bit contrived, Leconte brings it off thanks to a subtly intelligent script and dead-on performances by Luchini as William and Bonnaire as the entrancing Anna. Also look for Michel Duchaussoy, who provides professional wisdom (and comic relief) as the real doctor. In the company of these "Strangers," you'll be deeply affected.

Knocking on the wrong door.......2007-02-13

I bought this movie because I was intrigued by the storyline and I wanted to watch Anne Brochet. I was slightly disappointed by the movie, but Brochet did a very fine job(I only wish that she had a bigger part here). I think the biggest drawback of the movie is that the conversations (or the lack of it) between the two main characters did not live up to its astoundingly clever opening plot. I can accept their first two meetings being cut short because of the circumstances of their meeting, but the subsequent ones continued to be terse and abrupt. There's just not enough material to support the improbable premise. The director scramble to prop up the main storyline with subplots and characters (William's secretary, his last girlfriend, the real shrink). While they're all quite interesting and fit well into the plot, but I thought it was really the last straw when Ana's husband showed up at William's office. Overall, Sadrine and Fabrice did a good job in the title roles (especially the latter), but the storyline and the relationship between Ana and William could have been developed better.

A New Word Is Coined: "Transfixiation".......2006-11-29

Although it's a stereotype, French films are sometimes criticized for being comprised of meandering conversations and lots of cigarette smoking. In the case of "Confidences trop intimes," this cliché comes alive. The results are not without entertainment value, but be warned that this is an emotionally stifling film much of the way. (And physically stifled as well; it almost entirely takes place in our protagonist's flat.)

The only way that INTIMATE STRANGERS makes sense is as an off-kilter homage to both Hitchcock and noir films. The inappropriately obtrusive soundtrack makes it abundantly clear to the viewer that this is seemingly a thriller, but rest assured that director Patrice Leconte has other ideas. This is a directionless story of platonic bonding, apparently, though the odd flirtatious enchantments that the radiant Sandrine Bonnaire throws William's way seem to be sort of cruel after a while.

EXTRA CREDIT: To Fabrice Luchini, who manages to make it through practically this entire movie with only slight variations on his expression of utter surprise. Between the stifling circumstances and Fabrice's transfixed stare, the movie is "transfixiation" epitomized.

Unvarnished love.......2006-10-22

To love somebody does not always require challenging the customs, or behaiving heroic, or running amok, or burning with passion. The film narrates such an unvarnished love. It kept me smiling for hours.

Someone Knocking on the Wrong Door; Unique Love Story Highly Nuanced.......2006-09-28

Patrice Leconte's `Intimate Stranger' starts like a Hitchcock-like mystery, but soon you will realize that the film's real mystery is not about diamond theft or murder plot. It is about the nature of loving and being loved, seen through an ordinary financial advisor William (Fabrice Luchini).

When Anna (Sandrine Bonnaire) enters the office of a tax layer William by mistake, thinking that he is the therapist she was supposed to meet that day, William, utterly bemused at first, fails to reveal who he really is. Uptight William knows he should have told the truth, but Anna and her confessional story are too seductive for him to stop, or perhaps for any males.

It doesn't take much time for Anna to discover her mistake, but even so, she regularly comes to the office of William, who is intrigued by her. But why does she keep coming and talking about her life before a stranger? And what is the real story behind the sexually charged words of Anna, whose real life and personality are going to be tantalizingly suggested through the eye of William.

[HIGHLY NUANCED] It is certain that `Intimate Stranger' contains such elements as following and love affair; one of the characters may use threatening words, or you may be surprised at several twists of the story, but the film best works as romance, or a bit unusual kind of love story about a man and a woman. It is also impressive as off-beat comedy especially when we notice the rich details of the characters including the real psychiatrist Dr. Monnier (expertly done by Michel Duchaussoy), who gives precious tips to William, but not without some prices.

`Intimate Stranger' also offers insightful views on the role of psychiatrist with the portraits of William and Anna - for example, "What does it mean to listen to a stranger's confession by profession?" -- but `Intimate Stranger' is most impressive when it shows the power game between William and Anna. You don't see passionate love scenes, not even hugging or kissing, but you can see the passion in the words and faces of Anna and William. It is downplayed, but it is there.

This is not the best of Patrice Leconte, who did a similar thing in a less talky and more effective way in more sensual `The Girl on the Bridge,' but `Intimate Stranger' is still a very good showcase for the director's ability to present the intricate and intriguing relations between the characters.

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One Night Stand
More a poem for the eyes and ears than a film
The open space before commitment.
A brilliant film from a brilliant artist!
Pretty bad

Friday Night
Starring: Valérie Lemercier , Vincent Lindon , Hélène de Saint-Père , Hélène Fillières , and Florence Loiret
Director: Claire Denis
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000C23D1
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Amazon.com

Like the other films of French director Claire Denis, Friday Night exists in a realm of glances, skin, and dreams. Working with basic elements, Denis (whose previous films were the hypnotic Beau Travail and the scary Trouble Every Day) fashions an often-wordless liaison between a woman caught in a huge Paris traffic jam (there's a transportation strike going on) and the stranger she picks up in her car. Their brief encounter is the simplest of situations, but Denis grounds it in the exactly realized locations of their courtship: car interior, hotel room, late-night restaurant. And, of course, in the expressive faces of the two actors: Valerie Lemercier, best known for her comic roles, and Vincent Lindon (late of Chaos). The dreamlike rhythms of the piece will undoubtedly defeat some viewers, but if you give yourself over to the movie's spell, it will come alive. --Robert Horton

Description

Claire Denis' visually stunning and sensual film explores a chance encounter between two strangers who meet in the middle of a transit strike and wind up changing their lives forever.

Customer Reviews:

One Night Stand.......2005-07-24

Claire Denis' beautiful one night stand with her audience. One night with a total stranger sans baggage. It didn't happen before & won't happen again. Note we have an early hint when the woman is preparing to move in with her boyfriend, however she can't throw out that flashy dress.

More a poem for the eyes and ears than a film.......2005-04-04

If you're looking for action, thrills, an intricate plot and a cliff hanger of an ending, this is not the film for you. But if you're content to find a lyrical, seamless, gentle film about two strangers sharing a night for no other reason than curiosity and affection, you'll be pleasantly surprised by Friday Night. Sometimes people share their bodies and perhaps even their hearts for a night without the world collapsing aound their ears, without people being hurt, without a thousand words of drama and heartache. Friday Night portrays such a night, wrapped in superb camerawork (you can always tell when a cinematographer started out as a still photographer,) ethereal, lighter than air music (I'll buy this DVD if only for that, as there seems to be no soundtrack cd) and editing which allows us to be caressed by the quiet moments. Someone once said that the music is between the notes, and the editor and director understand this. An unusual, sensual, quiet little experience for the film fan weary of overacted, explosive American fare. If you've experienced a one night stand or two, you may find yourself wishing they had been this uncomplicated and enjoyable.

The open space before commitment........2004-09-02

Laure (Valerie Lemercier) is moving out of her apartment to move in with her boyfriend. Almost all of her possessions are packed and labeled, with the exception of a few she needs to decide on. Her home, the area that belongs to her completely is in her car. In the midst of Paris' transit strike, she gives a lift to Jean (Vincent Lindon).

That is a brief description of the beginning of Madame Denis' wonderful Vendredi Soir. Very few films are paced so exquisitely showing us the first stages of attraction and desire as this one did. The shots of Laure watching Jean's hands, Jean removing Laure's glove to caress her hand and their decisive brush against each other on the staircase are some of the loveliest and most romantic images I've seen on film.

Desire is sometimes fleeting, but almost always memorizable. Yes, their affair is brief but during it, you can almost see them both noting, analyzing and remembering. The final shot of Laure, dressed and ready to go, as she gently touches Jean was both her and our exit out of the gorgeous, romantic fantasy that was this movie.

A brilliant film from a brilliant artist!.......2004-08-31

I had to sign up as a reviewer just to counter the terribly uninsightful customer reviews of this film. This is great film! An historic film! Claire Denis is a courageous filmmaker precisely because she does not pander to the audience's expecations; she does not conform to the conventions of Hollywood-influenced filmmaking. Instead she pursues the kind of quiet drama that unfolds in real life with remarkable insight into character, with remarkable compassion for humanity. As a result, her films might sometimes seem slow, or seem as though little is happening. But what you get is far more amazing than a sinking "Titanic": You get a real picture of the sort of real drama that occurs between real people in their real lives. Imagine a love story between people who are not more beautiful, not more amazing, not more different than you and I -- imagine a love story between people like us -- and then imagine a filmmaker who can capture all of its minute nuance. That is greatness. That is Claire Denis. That is "Friday Night."

Pretty bad.......2004-03-28

Okay, I'm a big Claire Denis fan--the sublime "Chocolat," "Nenette and Boni," even "Beau Travail"--but this one is worse than pretty bad, really. It's downright awful. All, that is, but the stunning opening shot over the roofs of Paris.

Intimate Strangers, Vol. 1: When 2 Is Not Enough

Average customer rating:

Lifeless and Mechanical

Intimate Strangers, Vol. 1: When 2 Is Not Enough

Manufacturer: York Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000087F52
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Customer Reviews:

Lifeless and Mechanical.......2003-05-14

The women in this are beautiful, with well-sculpted bodies and the stories SHOULD be interesting, but there doesn't seem to be any spark here. There is no chemistry between the partners, and no sense of any real emotion or drama. Everybody is simply miming, and the sex scenes carry with them no sense of reality or involvment. It's almost like watching very high-quality computer generated images, instead of real people with real feelings for and about each other.

It's worth seeing once, if only to enjoy Tane McClure and Kim Yates in the buff, but it's not something for the long-term collection. :(

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Intimate Stranger (After Midnight) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Australia ]
Director: Allan Holzman
Manufacturer: Rainbow
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