Rohmer likes his morals and the moral for me here is how moving from one stage in life to another can't be forced. We can't decide to be in a different 'place' in life on a whim, without doing the maturing first. There's no short-cut. The cringeworthy party scene is perhaps the telling scene. Not just because of Sabine's inability to crawl out from childish ways, but equally Edmond's inability to cast his mind back to a time when he was giddy and foolish and work didn't matter. The supporting cast - friend Claude, Mother and the antiques dealer all have wisdom that comes through experience, but they know better than to waste too much breath with logic that headstrong Sabine is not ready for. A rites of passage, "find-out-the-hard-way" movie that's not as slight as first glances might suggest.

Finding the performances in the first part of this loosely connected movie series to be better than what I was expecting from Eric Rohmer, (who was such a hipster that he never owned a phone-bloody hippy!) that I decided to take a look at the second in the series.The plot:Deciding that she has had enough of being a mistress for married men,art student Sabine sets her sights on finding a good single man.Meeting up with her pal Clarisse, Clarisse ends up introducing Sabine to her cousin Edmond.Soon falling for him,Sabine decides that Edmond is the one,but soon finds her past catching up.View on the film:Joined by an off-beat score from Ronan Girre & Simon des Innocents,writer/director Éric Rohmer and cinematographer Bernard Lutic tan the title in a golden bloom which casts a romantic Autumn atmosphere over the film. Holding her head high, Béatrice Romand gives a good performance as Sabine,whose art side Romand rolls in, along with all the frustrations just under Sabine's fingers.Making Sabine an art student,the screenplay by auteur Rohmer laps up all of the golden lights from the middle class elite art world.Whilst his love of the bourgeoisie life fits the arty brush strokes,it leads to Sabine's romance with Edmond to feel incredibly empty,due to Rohmer's fixture on the bourgeoisie leading to a calm mood which stops any sign of passion or intimacy being shown in a marriage that is breaking apart at the seams.

Frankly, this is not my favourite 'Rohmer': I far preferred Conte D'Hiver, Le Genou De Claire, & Signe Du Lion. Having said that, I still warmed to this quirky but engaging story about an independent, self absorbed, head strong, young lady of 25 who one day decides: enough's enough, it's time for marriage! And then...Overall, it's a very watchable tale, and well worth your while if watching what happens to someone who suddenly decides it's time to settle down with the right one (i.e., he who she's yet to meet!) appeals to you. Rohmer, directs with mastery. And in saying so, I fear that in the hands of many an other director, I'd have not found the tale so satisfying to watch. Kudos too, must go to Ms Romand (from Rohmer's 'Claire's Knee' & 'Autumn Tale') for her playing the lead character so well. The casting & acting of the other actors was very good too.Overall, I recommended Le Beau Marriage, with the caveat that it's definitely not a movie that everyone would like. I strongly recommend you read the promo blurb first, and ask yourself if such a story might appeal to you? And if so, by all means you should definitely watch it. For me... I enjoyed it enough to say it's worth - 7/10

This is a novel idea for a movie--a woman who is tired of crappy relationships and so she deliberately sets out to find a man to marry. She is so hot for marriage, that she grabs onto the first apparently eligible bachelor who fits her basic criteria. This is pretty interesting and new, so it kept my attention. However, the movie never really became a comedy or tragedy or stalking film (though it came close) and when it ended, not a whole lot had been accomplished. I just felt rather unsatisfied and wanted to see more attempts by this ditzy lady. By the way, this movie actually reminded me of the Cary Grant/Betsy Drake film EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED, though the Grant/Drake film was cuter and a little more contrived. Plus, Cary or Betsy NEVER would have shown their naked butts in a movie!