(The Mouth Agape) starring
Philippe Leotard Nathalie Baye
One of the best foreign films shown on BBC2 in the last three years.
Maurice Pialat 's film about a woman dying of cancer, and the effect this has on those closest to her, treats a difficult subject with a directness that eliminates anguish and sentiment. Equally direct is his treatment of the sexual relationship of the young couple concerned. Philippe is an average young man: he has problems at work, he doesn't really understand his wife although he loves her and life seems to have nothing special in store for him. Then he learns that his mother is ill and the hospital will not keep her ' since there is nothing we can do for her and we need the bed.' The presence of the dying woman at home changes the whole family relationship.
Written and directed by Maurice PIALAT
(A French film with English sub-titles) Films: page 25