A Tale of Springtime

Jeanne (Anne Teyssèdre), a young philosophy teacher, cannot go home to her flat in Paris because her cousin is having a rendez-vous with her boyfriend who is in the military. It's not any better at her own boyfriend's apartment which was left in poor condition(apart from some fresh flowers in a vase) and she decides to leave and go to a housewarming party where she meets Natacha, a younger student who studies music. They become friends quickly, whereupon Natacha invites Jeanne to her home to stay with her. She lets Jeanne use the father's bedroom as he is always at his young girlfriend's home. However in the morning, the father, Igor (Hugues Quester), stops by the next morning to pick up some clothes, and is surprised by Jeanne, who has just returned from a shower in an awkward moment. When the father leaves, the 2 new friends discuss a trip to the family country home. Natascha, who dislikes her father's girlfriend Eve(played by Eloïse Bennett), probes Jeanne about her perceptions of her father thinking there could be a potential relationship to cultivate. She discreetly sets up a scenario that has Igor, Eve and Jeanne all at the country home at the same time. Over dinner, Jeanne discovers that Eve has a similar academic background in philosophy. Intellectually, Natacha, feels left out of the conversation and becomes angry and insulting when Eve tries to engage her in the discussion. The argument and toxicity increases and Eve decides to leave the cottage abruptly. Jeanne offers to leave instead but it appears Igor and Eve's relationship was getting strained before the visit and Eve leaves, possibly for good. The next day, Natacha's boyfriend from Paris suddenly visits and they abruptly and awkwardly leave Igor and Jeanne alone for the day. Not knowing what to do, and knowing Natacha attempted to set them up together, the two read in the garden and stay distant. Being polite, Igor offers afternoon tea inside the home. Both the father and Jeanne agree that they have been set up and briefly discuss the possibilities of a relationship-Igor admitting Eve was a fling and not important. At the end of a quick kiss, Jeanne decides that the entire family relationship was going too far and departs back to Paris to pack up her things. It is becoming clear that Jeanne would just be in the same predicament as Eve after time. Natacha comes into the apartment looking for her and is clearly disappointed that things did not work out according to plan. Jeanne goes back both her flat and finds fresh flowers as a gift from her cousin. She goes to her boyfriend's flat, presumably to resume their relationship and finds the vase of flowers wilted and dead. Jeanne places the gifted flowers on the table, clearly signifying renewal.

The film, as most Rohmer films do, explores human intellectual relationships with long dialogues and precisely placed settings. The thematic use of Spring and its renewal cycle is visually presented from the orderly, colder Paris home to the warm,bucolic country residence. Natacha's father complex and his propensity for cycling through younger women is also embedded as a seasonal theme. Jeanne, through acute observation of the family dynamic and listening to Igor's comments about Eve, clearly realizes that she would just be another part of the new-to-old cycle goes back to renew her relationship with her own boyfriend with fresh new flowers.

• Conte de printemps at IMDb
• A Tale of Springtime at Rotten Tomatoes
• A Tale of Springtime at The New Yorker