Daddy Nostalgie (1990)
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier

Film Review

Daddy nostalgie is a movingly understated depiction of a father-daughter relationship that gave its lead actress Jane Birkin (then at the height of her powers as an actress) one her most authentic and memorable screen roles.  The excellence of Birkin's performance no doubt owes something to her being cast alongside a comparable talent, the distinguished English actor Dirk Bogarde. This was Bogarde's final screen appearance before his death in 1999, so this adds further poignancy to a film that always strikes the right balance between sentiment and sentimentality. The complicity of the two remarkable lead actors makes this an emotional tour de force, possibly the most heartrending film that Bertrand Tavernier has written and directed. Tavernier's own father, the writer René Tavernier, died whilst the film was in production, so this at least goes some way to explaining the film's devastating emotional impact. The inability of a father and his offspring to satisfy each other's emotional needs is given a tragic dimension by Travernier, but the film ends on a note of optimism, reminding us that however deep the scars, reconciliation is always possible in the end.

Film Synopsis

Caroline is a writer who, after her divorce, lives alone in Paris with her infant son.  On hearing the news that her father has just undergone a serious operation, she immediately sets out to rejoin her parents at their home in the south of France.  For some time, Caroline has felt herself estranged from her parents, whom she refers to as Daddy and Miche, so she is glad of the opportunity to repair her relationship with them, whilst there is still time.   Caroline still resents the lack of affection offered her by her father when she was growing up.  He was too preoccupied with his career to show much of an interest in his daughter.  Knowing that her father has only a very short time left to live, Caroline intends to make the most of her visit.  She and Daddy take several excursions together, and as they do so old memories are rekindled, some sweet, some bitter...