Murmur of the Heart

REVIEW
Although tame by today's standards, Malle's infectious comedy about a boy's sexual coming-of-age and his relationship with his carelessly sensual mother caused quite a stir in 1971. Set in France in 1954, the story follows the day-to-day lives of a bourgeois family and especially Laurent, a precocious 14-year-old boy whose interests lie mainly in the jazz music of Charlie Parker and attempting to lose his virginity. His success in love takes an unexpected turn when he, accompanied by his free-spirited mother, is sent to a spa to recover from rheumatic fever. A tender and funny film which affectionately satirizes familial relationships. (French with English subtitles)