My Night at Maud's (1969)

In the heart of Clermont, a newly relocated engineer named Jean-Louis stands at the precipice of a life-altering journey. The solitary thirty-four-year-old man, freshly initiated into a new job, navigates the bustling town with cautious curiosity, his only familiarity lying within the walls of his workplace. Yet, Jean-Louis consciously resists the pull to forge friendships with his colleagues, preferring the quiet tranquility of his commute to and from Ceyrat. With past romantic endeavors buried in history, Jean-Louis now seeks to align his relationships with the steadfast principles of his Catholic faith. He finds himself drawn to a radiant blonde he encounters during Sunday mass, an unfamiliar face he's convinced is destined to be his wife. His life, steeped in the philosophical teachings of Blaise Pascal, intertwines mathematics and Catholicism in an intriguing dance, and he sees in this woman the perfect equation for love and marriage. As the holidays roll around, a chance meeting with Vidal, an old college companion turned Philosophy professor, propels Jean-Louis into an unexpected whirlwind. Vidal's invitation to spend the day after Christmas at his friend Maud's apartment becomes a turning point. Maud, a recently divorced pediatrician and mother to a young daughter, Marie, is a vibrant contrast to his envisioned life partner. Their evening together spirals into a pool of philosophical debate, Pascal's teachings serving as a spark that lights up the conversation. Their differing worldviews, especially in relation to love and sex, clash and meld in a fascinating discourse, with Maud and Vidal's atheistic perspective challenging Jean-Louis' religious grounding. This unforeseen encounter, orchestrated by Vidal, nudges Jean-Louis to confront his burgeoning attraction to Maud, a woman who, in theory, strays far from his ideal mate. As Jean-Louis grapples with this emotional conundrum, he's left to ponder whether pursuing his initial interest in the blonde from the church guarantees a fairy-tale ending. Will he overlook her potential baggage for the sake of his convictions or will this sleepless night at Maud's steer him onto an entirely different path? As dawn breaks, Jean-Louis embarks on a mission to engineer a rendezvous with Francoise, setting the stage for a riveting narrative about fate, faith, and the complexities of love.

My Night at Maud's is a comedy movie featuring Jean-Louis Trintignant.

My Night at Maud's is currently streaming on Criterion Channel, Max, Max Amazon Channel and TCM.