Happiness

1965

1h 27m

Drama

List

88%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

In suburban Paris, young François (Jean-Claude Drouot) appears to live a happy, contented existence with his wife, Therese (Claire Drouot), and their two small children. Despite his apparent satisfaction, François takes a mistress named Emilie (Marie-France Boyer), and, remarkably, doesn't feel the least bit of remorse for his philandering. While he is able to justify loving both women, François' infidelity results in tragic real-life consequences for both him and his family.

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Richard Brody

New Yorker

Varda fills her frames with riots of nature and color, like Bonnard paintings come to life, and with an erotic intimacy to match, choreographing physical passion with unabashed but formally controlled delight.

Mar 26, 2018

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

The delicately hued colors of the picturesque French countryside suggests an impossibly idyllic existence belied by the churning drama underneath.

Jan 6, 2024

Full Review

Josh Slater-Williams

Vague Visages

This particular film’s wrestling with the notions of happiness and love still proves more stimulating than myriad works that deal with transgressive ideas concerning relationships in a more explicit, openly provocative fashion.

Nov 13, 2023

Full Review

Ian Thomas Malone

ianthomasmalone.com

Varda takes great care with each frame of her lusciously shot film while presenting a nuanced perspective on polyamory that eschews the pearl-clutching ethics of non-monogamy that consumes far too many narratives on the subject.

Dec 12, 2022

Full Review

Carson Timar

ButteredPopcorn

Le Bonheur is a masterpiece. With one of the strongest screenplays and visual styles of all time, the film effortlessly is able to find a nuanced look at the human condition that has never been captured with the same power either before or after.

Rated: A

Aug 28, 2022

Full Review

Manny Farber

Cavalier

An extended ad for Kodak, this movie is the esthetic opposite of Le Ben Hur: no action, no costumes, much all-round kissing, forest trampling.

Nov 24, 2020

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Petros T

The colours and frames are wonderful, the (real-life) family's chemistry shines through, and the idyllic, bucolic happiness permeating the film is heartwarming in its relatable simplicity. Life doesn't only consist of such moments, but a film sure can. Yet the man's adultery puts a damper on things; and then comes the horrific finale, which really sucker punched me in its nonchalance. I feel the male perspective reduces its impact, but then again that was probably the point Varda wanted to make.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/18/23

Full Review

Cynicus R

Le Bonheur brilliantly exposes an imaginary contrast between the ultimate Stoic and the ultimate Hedonist—for death is not in his control the Stoic does not suffer; for he revels in polyamory the Hedonist does not suffer. In theory the former should represent virtue, the latter vice, but in reality the entire thing felt ugly because life follows a sine wave, the distinction of happiness necessitates sadness. Similar to Trainspotting's "Who needs reasons when you've got heroin?", the protagonist is escaping reality on a chemical as well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/27/23

Full Review

Antonio F

Protagonista terribilmente odioso e amorale. Film diretto e montato e fotografato splendidamente,

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/03/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A colorful and leafy puzzle about love, family and the limits of both. Without being carried away by a moral discourse and with an inherent hint of complicity, our favorite Frenchwoman takes many risks with this carefully detailed story, composed with intelligence and an eye for the color combination and the handling of actors, which stands as a narrative feat. of clear feminist leanings and devastating consequences.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

geoff a

Decent enough but I wanted a different ending his actions are rewarded appropriately.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good, but not great. I have seen a lot better. I recorded on TCM. When I saw Agnes Varda, I figured, what do I have to lose, other than time. Yup, its slow. But, the photography is stunning. Those colors! You can see how those Impressionist artists were inspired. I also loved how she coordinated what the actors and actresses wore, even the extras. And how the coordinated with the set design. And of course the entire film was set to Mozart. And its timeless. No way would you think it was filmed in 1965. I guess for its time, it was considered a masterpiece. My mother was into foreign films, so she dragged me to them as a kid. I was more into Godard and Truffaut. Also Renais. And later on Eric Rohmer. So i was a bit disappointed as it was slow. But how she filmed it was fabulous.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Agnès Varda

Director

Jean-Claude Drouot

François Chevalier

Claire Drouot

Thérèse Chevalier

Marie-France Boyer

Émilie Savignard

Olivier Drouot

Pierrot Chevalier

Sandrine Drouot

Gisou Chevalier

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Synopsis

In suburban Paris, young François (Jean-Claude Drouot) appears to live a happy, contented existence with his wife, Therese (Claire Drouot), and their two small children. Despite his apparent satisfaction, François takes a mistress named Emilie (Marie-France Boyer), and, remarkably, doesn't feel the least bit of remorse for his philandering. While he is able to justify loving both women, François' infidelity results in tragic real-life consequences for both him and his family.

Director: Agnès Varda
Screenwriter: Agnès Varda
Production Co: Parc Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (DVD): Apr 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 27m

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