This film is the first American (and English language) film from French Director Jacques Demy (1931 ‑ 1990). The film is basically a 1960s French New Wave film but now American (which makes sense as the writer and Director is French and this was his first American film). It’s a delicate and delightful low-budget film starring Gary Lockwood.
The entire film takes place over the course of a day, following George (Lockwood). George is a young man who is broke, unemployed and living in his girlfriend’s place. He is unable to commit himself to anyone or anything, and can’t connect with anyone on a real personal level either. He gets notice that his new car will be repossessed if he doesn’t make a payment by the next day, so he has to find a way to get the money. Along the way he drives around and speaks to different people, and a friend loans him the money. He ends up going to a model shop and spending money, where he meets Lola. Lola makes George actually feel and he connects with her. He shows no true care until he meets her, and even then he is pretty closed off. It isn’t until toward the end of the film when he finds out he may be drafted to war that we finally see him open up, and the truth comes out. He is a young man who is truly scared of what the future holds for him, and this fear is what causes him to be the way he is.
It’s an interesting and beautifully acted film. The film is understated as is Lockwood’s performance. Lockwood has a strong masculine screen presence, a very handsome young man, but masculine. He is All-American, with his good looks, his t-shirt and blue jeans with sneakers, and a haircut that is combed forward, covering his forehead, driving around Los Angeles smoking his cigarettes. He looks like something out of a Teen Beat magazine.
The most interesting part was seeing the Los Angeles scenery and seeing how it was still a mostly underdeveloped city at the time, nothing like what we have now.
Definitely recommend it.