Directed by Eric Rohmer • 1998 • France
Starring Marie Rivière, Béatrice Romand, Alain Libolt

The concluding installment of the Tales of the Four Seasons tetralogy is a breezy take on the classic American romantic comedies that influenced Eric Rohmer and his New Wave peers. Set in the Rhône Valley and taking full advantage of its golden vineyards, A TALE OF AUTUMN concerns simultaneous schemes to find a new love for reserved winegrower and widow Magali (Béatrice Romand). While Magali’s son’s girlfriend (Alexia Portal) attempts to pair her with a former professor and lover (Didier Sandre), Magali’s friend Isabelle (Marie Rivière) assumes a false identity in order to lure eligible bachelor Gérald (Alain Libolt). The misunderstandings that follow are pure Rohmer in revealing the humor of human folly and foibles.