This picture was taken by me five weeks ago as we had just returned from buying the Saturday paper. Today is Saturday again which means paper buying day! I love it when both Peter and I can walk together to the Newsagent’s shop which is close by at little shopping center.
Last Wednesday we saw a French film with English subtitles. The film is called AMOUR. We had seen this film once before a few months ago. It was shown in Berlin with no subtitles but in German. As I remember it the synchronisation from French into German had been done very well which was a relief. Usually I prefer to see a film in the original just with subtitles. So now we had the chance to listen to it in French. Both Peter and I agreed that it was great to see the film a second time.
This French film shows a couple in Paris in their eighties. Both are retired music teachers. They have a daughter who is also a musician and travels a lot with her English husband. She comes to see her parents in Paris only occasionally. The mother has a severe stroke, is hospitalised. Some time later she’s supposed to go into a hospice. She needs constant care. She begs her husband to take her home to care for her there. And this is what he does! He takes on to care for his wife who is very disabled. The film shows how the husband who is very elderly himself, takes on the task to look after his wife. It gets more difficult for him as her health deteriorates more and more. Despite some outside help this poor man is at breaking point in the end. Out of love for his wife he perseveres. The daughter urges him to give the ailing mother into a hospice. But the father doesn’t give up. He says he promised his wife to look after her at home. This is a very slow moving wonderfully acted film. Both Peter and I liked it a lot.
The husband is played by JEAN-LOUIS TRINTIGNANT, the wife by EMMANUELLE RIVA, the daughter by ISABELLE HUPPERT.
So this was our Wednesday adventure. While we were watching the movie, our car did get a big service. Luckily apart from the service nothing else needed to be done to get the car re-registered. On Thursday, while I was at my exercise class, Peter fixed up insurance and registration for the car. Last Monday he had to fork out a lot of money for the dentist in Sydney. It was a very expensive week for Peter but he’s glad everything is behind him now. From now on we can relax and enjoy Mothers’ Day and Peter’s birthday.
On Monday, when Peter had his dental appointment, I went with Peter to Sydney to keep him company. Unfortunately we weren’t able to see David for his birthday as we had promised. I wrote him a card saying we’d see him as soon as possible.
Yesterday, Friday, we had a good time in the afternoon. We played Scrabble and Rummy at my place. Next week we are going to play at Irene’s place again. Peter had afternoon coffee with us. Marion who had an operation recently, is doing fine. Erika is overseas for the time being. So only three of us played instead of four. The ladies were very impressed that Peter had baked some apple turnovers for afternoon coffee. Isn’t he a dear! For Mothers’ Day he wants to bake a cheese cake.
P.S. Peter just pointed out to me that in English it’s called ‘dubbing’, when a new soundtrack is added to a film. In German it is called ‘synchronisation’. This film with French actors was actually a French/German co-production.
And there is something else I can add here: From 4 June – 20 July 2013 the SYDNEYTHEATRE.COM.AU is going to show a play called “THE MAIDS”. The housemaids are played by Cate Blanchett and French screen star ISABELLE HUPPERT. It says the housemaids fantasise about killing their mistress! You may recognise that ISABELLE HUPPERT is the actress who plays the daughter in the movie AMOUR.
Our daughter sees theater productions on a regular basis. Maybe we should ask her whether she would be interested in seeing ‘The Maids’ with us. Oh, what a bombshell!
AuntyUta 
That looks like a wonderful Saturday. It inspires me everytime when I see you and Peter doing everything together with so much care and thoughtfulness. Happy Mother’s Day.
Thank you very much for this comment, IT. We wish for your wife a very Happy Mother’s Day and for all your family together a lovely weekend! π
This play “The MAIDS” sounds like a bombshell. Imagine the maids wanting to kill their mistress! I wonder what brought all this about.
I love to go to the theater. I’ve seen so many unusual ones through the years! π Wasn’t Amour one of the movies up for an Academy Award? I think so…but maybe I’m wrong! Either way, I’m glad to have your review. You had a lovely full day!
Amour (pronounced: [a.muΚ]; French for “Love”) is a 2012 French-language drama film written and directed by the Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert. The narrative focuses on an elderly couple, Anne and Georges, who are retired music teachers with a daughter who lives abroad. Anne suffers a stroke which paralyses her on one side of her body.[4] The film is a co-production between the French, German, and Austrian companies Les Films du Losange, X-Filme Creative Pool, and Wega Film.
The film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[5][6] where it won the Palme d’Or.[7] It won the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards,[8][9] and was nominated in four other categories: Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Emmanuelle Riva), Best Original Screenplay (Michael Haneke) and Best Director (Michael Haneke).[10] At the age of 85, Emmanuelle Riva is the oldest nominee for the Best Actress in a Leading Role.[11][12]
At the 25th European Film Awards, it was nominated in six categories,[13] winning in four, including Best Film and Best Director. At the 47th National Society of Film Critics Awards it won the awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress.[14] At the 66th British Academy Film Awards it was nominated in four categories, winning for Best Leading Actress and Best Film Not in the English Language.[15] Emmanuelle Riva became the oldest person to win a BAFTA.[16][17] At the 38th CΓ©sar Awards it was nominated in ten categories,[18] winning in five, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best ActressAmour (pronounced: [a.muΚ]; French for “Love”) is a 2012 French-language drama film written and directed by the Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert. The narrative focuses on an elderly couple, Anne and Georges, who are retired music teachers with a daughter who lives abroad. Anne suffers a stroke which paralyses her on one side of her body.[4] The film is a co-production between the French, German, and Austrian companies Les Films du Losange, X-Filme Creative Pool, and Wega Film.
The film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[5][6] where it won the Palme d’Or.[7] It won the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards,[8][9] and was nominated in four other categories: Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Emmanuelle Riva), Best Original Screenplay (Michael Haneke) and Best Director (Michael Haneke).[10] At the age of 85, Emmanuelle Riva is the oldest nominee for the Best Actress in a Leading Role.[11][12]
At the 25th European Film Awards, it was nominated in six categories,[13] winning in four, including Best Film and Best Director. At the 47th National Society of Film Critics Awards it won the awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress.[14] At the 66th British Academy Film Awards it was nominated in four categories, winning for Best Leading Actress and Best Film Not in the English Language.[15] Emmanuelle Riva became the oldest person to win a BAFTA.[16][17] At the 38th CΓ©sar Awards it was nominated in ten categories,[18] winning in five, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best ActressAmour (pronounced: [a.muΚ]; French for “Love”) is a 2012 French-language drama film written and directed by the Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke, starring Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva and Isabelle Huppert. The narrative focuses on an elderly couple, Anne and Georges, who are retired music teachers with a daughter who lives abroad. Anne suffers a stroke which paralyses her on one side of her body.[4] The film is a co-production between the French, German, and Austrian companies Les Films du Losange, X-Filme Creative Pool, and Wega Film.
The film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[5][6] where it won the Palme d’Or.[7] It won the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards,[8][9] and was nominated in four other categories: Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Emmanuelle Riva), Best Original Screenplay (Michael Haneke) and Best Director (Michael Haneke).[10] At the age of 85, Emmanuelle Riva is the oldest nominee for the Best Actress in a Leading Role.[11][12]
At the 25th European Film Awards, it was nominated in six categories,[13] winning in four, including Best Film and Best Director. At the 47th National Society of Film Critics Awards it won the awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress.[14] At the 66th British Academy Film Awards it was nominated in four categories, winning for Best Leading Actress and Best Film Not in the English Language.[15] Emmanuelle Riva became the oldest person to win a BAFTA.[16][17] At the 38th CΓ©sar Awards it was nominated in ten categories,[18] winning in five, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress
Hi Debra, I just copied the above from the Wikipedia. The film did win an Oscar for best foreign language film!
Amour certainly sounds like a must see film. Isabelle Huppert is an actress I admire. Thanks for the post.
When you have a chance to see the film, Robert, please let me know what you think of it.
I wanted to see it, but worried I wou;d feel too depressed by it
Hi Sidey, I guess you’re referring to the film AMOUR. Well, I reckon the main theme of the movie is “Love”. How does someone cope when the person he loves more than his own life has a severe stroke and needs constant care? Everyone knows there’s no chance of survival. Having to face that a beloved one is going to die may sound truly depressing for a lot of people in our society.
I assume in the past palliative care would usually have been given by the whole family. In our society the families hardly ever stay together and are too busy with their own lives to care for terminally ill family members. The only option seems to be go into a hospice.
Good morning and a happy mothers day Auntyuta, hope you have a beautiful day.
Enjoyed the background to the movie and Ana is trying to download it for me before she leaves.
Wishing you both much happiness.
Emu aka Ian
Hi Emu aka Ian, It’s great that Ana is trying to download the movie. Does Ana want to see the film too?
Also wishing you both a very Happy Sunday and Mothers’ Day/Fathers’ Day! When you hear from your children I guess that makes the fathers happy too. Peter has just gone to pick up our daughter from the station.
Have a great day. Cheerio, Auntyuta.
** Happy Mother’s Day ** Aunty Uta π
How wonderful, seeing that French film. It sounds great! Can’t think of anything better to do π
I love how you and Peter live so much.
I had a lovely Mothers Day, Noeleen. I hope yours was good too. The French film was really great cinema. Such beautiful acting! However it may not be every ones cup of tea. Some people just don’t want to be confronted with seeing somebody dying.
Hugs to you and Daniel. π