La Belle Noiseuse ****

French with English subtitles 1991

I saw this movie shortly after it was released to video stores in the U.S. and it has remained with me ever since.

The plot involves reclusive, retired painter who lives with his wife in a large château in the south of France. One day, a young artist and his girlfriend visit the aging painter. Somehow (I can't recall the details) the young woman agrees to model for the painter, who is inspired to resume painting. The movie documents the process of creating art more perfectly than I have ever seen in film before. It's arduous, long and painful and the director employs unbelievably long takes to show the painting emerge on the canvas. The movie is very long and slow, yet appropriate to the topic and plot.