MERRY-GO-ROUND

Propelled by a shadowy and increasingly convoluted conspiracy, Ben and Léo arrive in Paris at the same time, summoned by mysterious telegrams from Elisabeth, Ben’s girlfriend and Léo’s sister. When they arrive, however, Elisabeth is initially nowhere to be found, leading the duo on a kind of scavenger hunt around the city before finally showing her face just long enough to suggest the contours of a labyrinthine plot. (...) The chemistry between Maria Schneider and Joe Dallesandro is a big part of the film’s appeal, and to a large extent Rivette simply throws them together and waits to see what sparks will fly, his typically hovering camera delicately tracking their stormy fights and hesitant rapprochements. The result is uneven, more so than in any of Rivette’s other films of the time. (Ed Howard)