The movie is based on the Romanian novel "ADELA. FRAGMENT DIN JURNALUL LUI EMIL CODRESCU" written in 1933 by Garabet Ibraileanu, and it is a delicate and sad love story. Although the movie does not totally comply with author's line, it manages to present in a very realistic way the atmosphere of the country life in "fin de siècle 1890-1900", as seen by Emil Codrescu, a physician who decided to accept to spend a summer time at a village house in the company of very beautiful Raluca Muresanu, a relative of his, and her even more beautiful daughter Adela. Emil (going on 40) gets in love with Adela (young divorced woman, but still a child). He knows her from her childhood, " she practically grew up under his eyes." This man's sentimental crisis, analyzed thoroughly in the novel, is shown through the discussions between the main characters, by Emils's uncertainties, by his deep suffering. His love becomes an obsession and has no chance to be fulfilled, taking into account the age difference and Emil’s future job engagement. His love is mature and pure in the same way (he idealized the beloved Adela and does not want to be ridiculous). That's why he is not certain about anything, and neither do we; he prefers to be distant, not to take chances, therefore he knows from now that he will remember those days as the last but the most important) moments of his youth. Adela likes Emil too, but she is young, she sees it more as a game, we do not know for sure until the end if she really loved him. It is a place where love is presented all the time: Emil, maybe Adela, the center of his universe, the love of his life, but also Adela's ex-husband (still wanting her to return), and even Raluca who likes Emil, but finally run away with another interesting character Duliu Dragan, a retired major and Emil’s closest friend. The plot is simple, the final is not unexpected, but what make this movie so special are the dialogs, especially the ones between the two male friends, and the background sound (very beautiful songs with lyrics belonging to the most famous Romanian poets Eminescu and Blaga). Not to mention the forest, the lake, the house, the field – all of them describe a perfectly romantic atmosphere.
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cparfeni21 February 2008
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bosu_rares20 July 2010I know it sounds simple, but the word fully describes the film: it is simply beautiful. Not only the scenery, the cinematography, or the script, but also the masterful hand of Mircea Veroiu using all these to create not only a credible "fin de siecle" atmosphere, but also a heart-warming film I always like returning to.
The previous reviewer (Vincentiu) made a thorough analysis of the film, so I need not go over what he said in such an accurate way. What I want to convey here is my own impression, which is, of course, subjective.
The film has a very delicate story, and the characters (the best-portrayed are Emil Codrescu and Duliu Dragan, of course - the women are rather reflections of their own thoughts) belong to a forgotten race of men who inhabited the world over 100 years ago. Phylosopher-hunters, who took part in a war, built a nation, but who never lost their ability to think, and still are capable to indulge either in dreaming or in more profane adventures (the scene where Duliu and Emil entertain two second-rate actresses is very well made). So neither of them is desperate, nor neurotic, they are simply melancholic, looking serenely at time passing by. And completely in line with this theme of "fugit irreparabile tempus" is the beautiful scene of clock repairing.
Another major theme is happiness. Obviously, none of the characters has it, and all of them dream of it. Mrs Muresanu runs away with Duliu Dragan in a desperate attempt to breach the walls of responsibility imposed on her by her statute as a widow and head of a house she is not able to rule. Adela plays with Emil, waiting for him to confess his love, but is afraid of commitment after her recent marriage ended in a divorce. Emil himself seems to revisit his past only to remind himself of the amount of time gone by, and finally resolves to run away, after giving Adela some explanations that seem so remotely connected to his feelings, that we are left to guess the place of this scene in the film's plan.
Emil's leaving in the end, although predictable, is quite an enigma. Why did he do this? Did he want to run away from temptation? He is not a weak man, and not a coward - his war stories prove us that he has never been one. Does he want to leave the memories behind and delve in some new activity? He is a man for whom the past matters a lot - his collection of photographs, his books are memories he keeps taking with him. Does he want to spear Adela the misfortune of returning his love? He is a generous spirit, but he hardly seems interested in what happens around him, making us rather think that Adela is just another memory he wants to preserve intact.
So, if you're looking for a film that takes you through a dreamy atmosphere and leaves you deep in thought, try to catch it on TV, because it's hardly likely that it is ever released on DVD.
(P.S. and correction: it has been released on DVD, and I bought both copies I could get my hands on, don't miss the chance if you see it!) -
Kirpianuscus2 September 2016it is not easy to define this adaptation of a novel of states of soul. but it is obvious - Mircea Veroiu was the only director who could adapt the book of Garabet Ibrăileanu. in same measure, George Motoi was the perfect choice for doctor Codreanu. and this is the most important fact. a delicate love story who preserves the flavor of a lost time.a film of atmosphere, who looking to suggest more than present, remembering the art of Impressionism, who does the images mark of a kind of mist, searching new elements for solve the challenges of novel, inventing new characters and transforming Adela more in symbol than in the character who causes the hopes and desires of Codreanu, Mircea Veroiu makes, in fact, a delicate and convincing eulogy to the original Heaven reflected by the beauty of landscapes, costumes and events. the presence of Valeria Seciu, more than the performance of the young Marina Pricopie, the charming work of Ștefan Sileanu, the sensitivity of Codreanu, explored in wise manner by George Motoi are the arguments for discover this seductive, nostalgic movie.