The Lover (1992)

In the resplendent backdrop of 1929 French Colonial Vietnam, an elderly French authoress embarks on a reflective journey, narrating the tale of her first, and perhaps most potent, love. As she pens her memoirs, the story erupts from the heart of southern Indochina, where she was sequestered in a boarding school dormitory in Saigon, across the majestic Mekong River from her family's modest dwelling, bestowed by her mother's meagerly compensated teaching job. The family dynamics were fraught with tension, primarily due to the mother's bewildering favoritism towards her eldest, a self-centered and pilfering son. The authoress and her meek younger brother harbored a clandestine desire for the end of his existence. Amid this familial discord, the young girl found herself drawn into an unexpected romance with a well-heeled Chinaman whom she serendipitously met on a Mekong River ferry. The Chinaman, a product of western education in Paris and heir to a prosperous family, had never experienced the grind of labor. Their relationship, initially tinged with trepidation due to the social taboos of their racial differences and age disparity, blossomed as they navigated the choppy waters of their illicit affair. They presented a united front to the world, despite the disapproval of her family who paradoxically relished the financial benefits bestowed by the wealthy Chinaman. The lovers danced around the reality of their ephemeral liaison, knowing she could never marry a Chinaman, and he was pledged to a wealthy woman whom he had never met. Yet, the fervor of their passion and the intensity of their desire kindled a flicker of hope for a shared future, a testament to the enduring power of their forbidden love. "The Lover" is a tale of passionate romance, vividly capturing the trials and tribulations of love bound by societal norms, based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Marguerite Duras. The movie transports viewers back in time, immersing them in a world where love transcends boundaries, yet is shackled by the very same.

The Lover is a drama movie featuring Jane March.

The Lover is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy, Pluto TV, Tubi TV and VUDU Free and it's also available on Film Movement Plus and OVID.

It is also possible to buy The Lover on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.