Beautiful Meeting of Fate, Romance in ‘Paris’

At 76, France’s Eric Rohmer is one of the world’s oldest active film directors but remains one of the youngest in spirit. There could be no better proof of this than his beguiling, souffle-light “Rendezvous in Paris.” At once fresh and timeless, as romantic as its title yet tempered by Gallic irony, this exquisite trifle takes a bemused look at the roles fate and coincidence play in the affairs of the heart. We’ve seen all this before in countless French films, but Rohmer has the knack and the grace to make the three separate stories he tells here seem new.

It’s hard to recall an unattractive person appearing in any of his pictures, and here every speaking part is filled by beautiful young women and good-looking young men. Rohmer really loves women, cherishing them not merely for their looks but also for their sensibilities, their capacity for mystery.

He’s even fascinated with what makes some women not so nice. In two of the three tales a woman is the key figure, and in the third a painter (Michael Kraft) is perplexed by falling in love with a woman (Benedicte Loyen) at first sight when he may be already in love with another (Veronika Johansson). So even if a man is the principal character, the focus remains on women. Significantly, this last segment, good as it is, isn’t as involving as the first two.

In “The Seven O’Clock Rendezvous” a law student, Esther (Clara Bellar, as ravishing as she is poised), becomes understandably upset upon being told by her best friend Hermione (Cecile Pares) that her boyfriend (Antoine Basler) is unfaithful. We see her self-confidence ebbing and worry that she might be undermined by Hermione’s remark, “Whenever I’m myself it backfires on me.” Yet the way things work out, so wonderfully unexpectedly, makes Esther all the wiser. The twists and turns Rohmer’s plots take result in some pain but even more humor.

We’re left with a radically different feeling about the heroine of “The Benches of Paris” than we are about Esther. Aurore Rauscher (as the Woman) captivates the Man (Serge Renko) as they meet regularly in parks all over Paris. She’s comfortable with the Man in her life, not yet in love with Renko, and in any event revels in stringing along the poor guy, who’s hopelessly smitten.

As usual with Rohmer there’s an easy and winning spontaneity in his actors, and the Paris against which his stories unfold is so enticing you want to take off for the City of Light right now. It isn’t a touristy, travelogue Paris cinematographer Diane Baratier captures with such fluidity, but it certainly is a Paris as attractive as Rohmer’s people. “Rendezvous in Paris” is as welcome as a light summer refreshment.

* Unrated. Times guidelines: The film depicts nothing inappropriate for youngsters but has sophisticated adult themes.

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‘Rendezvous in Paris’

Clara Bellar: Esther

Antoine Basler: Horace

Mathias Megard: The Flirt

Aurore Rauscher: The Woman

Serge Renko: The Man

Michael Kraft: The Painter

Benedicte Loyen: The Young Woman

Veronika Johansson: The Swedish Woman

An Artificial Eye presentation of a Compagnie Eric Rohmer production with the participation of Canal Plus. Writer-director Eric Rohmer. Producer Francoise Etchegaray for La Compagnie Eric Rohmer. Cinematographer Diane Baratier. Editor Mary Stephen. Music Sebastien Erms. In French with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.

* Exclusively at the Westside Pavilion, 10800 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0202, and the South Coast Village 3, on Sunflower Avenue next to Planet Hollywood, South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, (714) 540-0594.