A Gentle Woman (1969) poster

3.8

A Gentle Woman (1969)

Une femme douce

Romance, Drama • 1h 25m

Director: Robert Bresson

Cast: Dominique Sanda, Guy Frangin, Jeanne Lobre, Claude Ollier, Jacques Kébadian, Gilles Sandier, Dorothée Blanck

3.8

Best English-friendly & video release

Radiance Blu-ray

Video notes:

Upcoming Radiance Blu-ray is the only Blu-ray so far, although it's only an HD transfer, not 4K like other recent Bresson releases

Updated 10 months ago

About the film

When his young wife commits suicide with no explanation, an introspective pawnbroker looks back on their life together.

More from Robert Bresson

The Trial of Joan of Arc (1963)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Strong VDMS encode of a 4K scan.

No comparisons available against France Potemkine or Japan IVC. They are presumably from the same master, but do not feature English subs.

Audio Notes:

TBD: BFI Blu-ray’s mono sounds clean. No hiss but not noticeably muffled/filtered either. No known comparisons against older releases.

A Man Escaped (1956)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray, 2K restoration

Best Audio:

2004 New Yorker DVD

The Devil, Probably (1977)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

France Gaumont Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Gaumont France is 4k transfer, not sure about Japan

Les Dames du bois de Boulogne (1945)

Director: Robert Bresson

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Artificial Eye Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

France Rimini 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

France Rimini 4K Blu-ray see caps vs Artificial Eye Blu-ray

Four Nights of a Dreamer (1972)

Director: Robert Bresson

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Potemkine France Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Potemkine France Blu-ray is a recent 4K restoration compared to the old Japan Imagica Blu-ray, it unfortunately also has the eclair teal https://slow.pics/c/BIIWAPtO

Given that it's a Janus theatrical release, an English-friendly and Criterion release can be expected in the near future.

Lancelot of the Lake (1974)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

France Gaumont Blu-ray

Best Video:

Germany/France/Japan

Video Notes:

Germany/France/Japan has Blu-ray, 4K restoration

L'Argent (1983)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · DVDBeaver (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

BFI Blu-ray is better than Criterion, see DVDBeaver comparison. 4K transfer, but has the eclair teal tint

Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

No Blu-ray has EN subtitles, HD Streaming is the easiest way to watch

Best Video:

France StudioCanal or Kadokawa Blu-ray, 4K restoration

Best Audio:

France StudioCanal Blu-ray

Pickpocket (1959)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly & Video:

BFI Blu-ray/Criterion Blu-ray (preference)

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

BFI and Criterion BDs are same restoration, but BFI is much darker and Criterion is much brighter. Unsure which is correct.

Mouchette (1967)

Director: Robert Bresson

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion, 4k transfer

More from Radiance

Miracle Mile (1989)

Director: Steve De Jarnatt

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK Transmission 4K Blu-ray in January 2027

Best Audio:

Either the 2015 Kino Lorber Blu-ray or the Arrow Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

The 2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray is botched.

See You Friday, Robinson (2022)

Director: Mitra Farahani

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Harvest and Seed (1965)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Hills of Marlik (1964)

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Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

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Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Crown Jewels of Iran (1965)

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Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The House Is Black (1963)

Director: Forugh Farrokhzad

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Courtship (1961)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

The Brick and the Mirror (1966)

Director: Ebrahim Golestan

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Radiance Treasures from the Golestan Film Studio Blu-ray

More Romance on Blu-ray

Thieves Like Us (1974)

Director: Robert Altman

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Vinegar Syndrome Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.

YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

Director: Frank Oz

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Director: Steve Gordon

Best English-Friendly & Video:

The Merry Widow (1934)

Director: Ernst Lubitsch

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Mr. Skeffington (1944)

Director: Vincent Sherman

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

That Forsyte Woman (1949)

Director: Compton Bennett

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from original technicolor negatives

The Hucksters (1947)

Director: Jack Conway

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from safety preservation elements

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)

Director: George B. Seitz

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from safety preservation elements

Love Crazy (1941)

Director: Jack Conway

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from safety preservation elements

Jewel Robbery (1932)

Director: William Dieterle

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

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· last reviewed 10 months ago

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