Impressionistic and
offbeat, French filmmaker Claude Lelouch’s romantic drama Another Man, Another Chance is nominally a Western, since most of
the story takes place in the American frontier circa the late 1800s, but it’s
also an international story with many episodes taking place in France during a
time of ferocious class conflicts. Repurposing narrative concepts and themes
from Lelouch’s 1966 hit A Man and a Woman—without
actually being a remake of the previous film—Another Man, Another Chance tells the parallel stories of two
sensitive people whose love affairs end in tragedy.
David (James Caan) is an
American veterinarian whose wife, Mary (Jennifer Warren), has grown tired of
living in the wilderness, even though David adores the lonesome lifestyle because
he relates better to animals than he does to people. Soon after delivering the couple’s first child, Mary is raped and killed by robbers one sad
afternoon, while David’s away on business. Meanwhile, in Paris, impulsive young
Frenchwoman Jeanne meets a photographer named Francis (Francis Huster),
and falls in love. Wishing for adventure and an escape from the rampant poverty
in Paris, Francis and Jeanne relocate to America, eventually settling in a town
not far from David’s home.
By the time David and Jeanne finally meet at the
school attended by their children, Jeanne has suffered a loss of her own, so
she has become guarded about romance. However, David is determined to build on
their mutual attraction, so the story explores the challenges
faced by people who are haunted by memories of loved ones.
Lelouch, who also
wrote the picture, uses an idiosyncratic storytelling style. He jumps back and
forth in time, so viewers experience the story in the same psychological blur
as the characters. This nonlinear approach doesn’t always work—some scenes are
confusing—but when it connects, Lelouch expresses subtle nuances of anguish and
perception. The filmmaker also employs long, unbroken takes that put viewers
right in step with the actions of the characters; for instance, the scene in
which David discovers Mary’s fate is a presented as a single tracking shot
following Caan through every part of his character’s rambling homestead.
Some
of Lelouch’s indulgences are less effective, like a long race scene toward the
end of the movie, and one could quibble that casual vignettes of David and
Jeanne bonding with their children outlast their usefulness. But since the
story takes place in a less hurried time, Lelouch’s leisurely pacing suits the milieu. Also in the film’s favor is the understated acting,
with Caan eschewing his standard macho vibe and Bujold affecting a delicate
quality that masks formidable resolve. Another
Man, Another Chance is far too flawed to qualify as a great film, but it’s
consistently heartfelt and thoughtful, in addition to boasting a rich,
dust-choked Western atmosphere. (Available
as part of the MGM Limited Collection on Amazon.com)
Another Man, Another Chance: GROOVY
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