La Collectionneuse

Two men, a blunt art dealer and his painter friend, flee the city for a sunny summer at a villa on the Riviera. They expect an easy escape, a chance to unwind and flirt with the routine of elegant idleness. Instead, they meet Haydée, a free spirited bohemian who carries with her the rumor of being a collector of men. Her presence unsettles the pair, turning polite banter into games of restraint and curiosity. As heat, light, and social code press in, desire and judgment mingle in a quiet, tense dance. The result is a focused study of attraction under a summer sky. Dialogue stays restrained, letting glances and silences do the talking while the sea air amplifies unease.

Directed by Éric Rohmer, La Collectionneuse, released in 1967, is part of his Six Moral Tales series. It uses an original screenplay and relies on natural settings and measured rhythm rather than conventional melodrama. The cast centers on Patrick Bauchau, Haydée Politoff, and Daniel Pommereulle.

The film helped define Rohmer's habit of restrained dialogue and long takes, showing a mood built from conversation and social codes as much as plot. Haydée Politoff's sun drenched presence became a touchstone for 1960s bohemian chic in European cinema, and the quiet pacing invites viewers to read unspoken tensions, and has influenced later festival retrospectives.

Critical voices note Rohmer's calm approach to desire, focusing on talk, timing, and nuance rather than sensational drama. The film asks how social expectations shape behavior and how longing can test friendships without overt conflict, leaving space for ambiguity and interpretation.

Box office details for La Collectionneuse are not widely reported. As a French art house release from 1967, it attracted a limited audience, mostly among festival-goers and cinephiles rather than broad commercial success. Its influence is felt in discussions of Rohmer's style.