''Love Unto Death'' (original title: ''L'Amour à mort'') is a 1984 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Alain Resnais Alain Resnais (; 3 June 19221 March 2014) was a French film director and screenwriter whose career extended over more than six decades. After training as a film editor in the mid-1940s, he went on to direct a number of short films which included ...

Plot

Elisabeth, a scientist, lives with Simon, an archaeologist. One night, Simon suffers a

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with l ...

and is declared dead by a doctor. After a grieving Elisabeth screams for him not to be dead, Simon unexpectedly comes back to life. Elisabeth and Simon discuss the experience with their friends, protestant

pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...

s Judith and Jérôme. Simon seems at first to have resumed a normal life, but being "dead" for a short moment has left him tormented and bitter. He reveals to Elisabeth that he saw many people in the afterlife and expresses a desire to go back there, as he now feels out of place in the world. Elisabeth, who doubts that Simon actually died and does not believe in the afterlife, pleads for him to remain with her. Simon eventually has another seizure and dies for good. Elisabeth comes to believe that it is now her destiny to join him wherever he is. She discusses the philosophical implications with Jérôme and Judith. Jérôme tries to talk her out of it, and even raises the possibility that the afterlife may not exist ; Judith supports Elisabeth's decision, which she compares to Jesus marching to Jerusalem. As Elisabeth leaves, Judith consoles Jérôme.

Production

The film was shot in

Uzès Uzès (; ) is a commune in the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. In 2017, it had a population of 8,454. Uzès lies about north-northeast of Nîmes, west of Avignon and south-east of Alès. History Originally ''Uc ...

, Gard, in the south of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Cast

Sabine Azéma Sabine Azéma (born 20 September 1949) is a French stage and film actress and director. Born in Paris, she graduated from the Paris Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. Career Her film career began in 1975. Azéma appeared in '' A Sunday in the ...

- Elisabeth Sutter *

Fanny Ardant Fanny Marguerite Judith Ardant (born 22 March 1949) is a French actress and film director. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two César Awards and a Lumières Award. Early life Ardant was born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, ...

- Judith Martignac *

Pierre Arditi Pierre Arditi (born 1 December 1944) is a French actor. He is the brother of French actress Catherine Arditi. Life and career Born in Paris, his father was the painter Georges Arditi, from Marseille of Jewish descent, and his mother Yvonne ...

- Simon Roche *

André Dussollier André Dussollier (born 17 February 1946) is a French actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as fi ...

- Jérôme Martignac *

Jean Dasté Jean Dasté, born Jean Georges Gustave Dasté, (18 September 1904 in Paris, France – 15 October 1994 in Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, Loire, France)Geneviève Mnich Geneviève Mnich (born 19 February 1942), is a French actress. She has appeared in 80 films since 1972. She was born in Cuffies, Aisne, France. Selected filmography * ''Joséphine, ange gardien'' (2006) (1 Episode : "La Couleur de l'amour") * ...

- Anne Jourdet * Jean-Claude Weibel - Le spécialiste * Louis Castel - Michel Garenne * Françoise Rigal - Juliette Dotax * Françoise Morhange - Mme Vigne *

Jean Champion Jean Champion (9 March 1917 – 23 May 2001) was a French film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1962 and 1996. Partial filmography * ''Cléo from 5 to 7'' (1962) - Le patron du café (uncredited) * '' The Longest Day'' (1962) - Frenc ...

- (voice) *

Yvette Etiévant Yvette Etiévant (1922–2003) was a French actress. She starred in Yves Robert's '' War of the Buttons'' (''La Guerre des boutons'') in 1962. Filmography *1945: '' Les Dames du bois de Boulogne'' (directed by Robert Bresson) - La bonne *19 ...

- (voice) * Bernard Malaterre - (voice)

External links

* French drama films 1984 drama films Films directed by Alain Resnais Films about the afterlife Resurrection in film 1980s French-language films 1980s French films {{1980s-France-film-stub