Synopsis
Directed by Éric Rohmer, 'My Night at Maud's' follows a reserved Catholic engineer in Clermont-Ferrand who becomes entangled in a long, intimate evening with the charming and intellectually provocative Maud. Through Pascalian philosophy and frank conversation about love and morality, the film explores the tension between religious conviction and human desire. It is widely regarded as one of cinema's finest explorations of conscience, faith, and romantic ambiguity.
Why Watch It
A deceptively simple night unfolds into a philosophical duel between faith and desire, where Rohmer's precise dialogue does the heavy lifting—no melodrama needed. Jean-Louis Trintignant's Catholic protagonist meets his match in Françoise Fabian's irreverent charm, and the tension crackles through conversation alone. Essential viewing for anyone who believes cinema's greatest conflicts happen in the mind.
Did You Know?
- Film is part of Rohmer's 'Six Moral Tales' series.
- Shot entirely in black and white during winter in Clermont-Ferrand.
- Jean-Louis Trintignant improvised some of his philosophical dialogue.
- Rohmer wrote the script in the 1940s but filmed it later.
- Won a BAFTA and received an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
Iconic Quotes
- "I believe in God, but I'm not sure he believes in me."
- "A Pascalian wager on love is still a wager."
- "I don't sleep with a woman unless I intend to marry her."
- "You're a man of principles. That's either admirable or terrifying."
- "Chance doesn't exist. Everything that happens was meant to happen."
