cdoublejj Why is the intro/begging scene never resolved? why is that scene even there? why are they on horses playing pool in a bar? why does the animal doctor kiss a random little kid and show his baby to kids when he visits the school? Why would the kids give a crap about him or his baby whom they've never met before? the kids in the school seemed as confused as me and my family watching this movie. why is the story told out of order? Whats the deal with the fat french man interested in buying the photographer's studio.. who btw was turned down, why is he all the suddenly on the boat? yes he expressed interest in migrating to the wild west as well but, why is introduced in such a manor? why does the animal doctor not realize something is wrong when the dog is barking like crazy and the house is trashed? why does it take him so long to realize something is wrong ONLY when he finds his wife's dead body? is he extra stupid? why was he such a selfish ass hole to his wife when she was still alive? maybe this movies is an arts fartsy piece of crap. why do movies try to make the audience interpret things. it can be interpreted a million ways. it's like charging 100 dollars to see painting i've never seen before then handing me the paint brush and blank canvas. I want to be entertained not be an art major.why is this movie all out of order and not making much sense?

mistymountain Well, call it a western or historical fiction, but this film definitely has both of those elements. Claude Lelouch excellently directed this film, which i believe was his first English-speaking or bilingual film. James Caan shines as Dr. David Williams, a widowed American vet, and Genevieve Bujold's performance as Jeanne, a widowed photographer's assistant, is equally impressive. After David's wife, Mary, is found brutally beaten to death, he takes his infant son and moves south where he places him in the care of Alice, an inept schoolteacher, wonderfully played by Susan Tyrrell. Jeanne and her photographer boyfriend, Francis, played by Francis Huster, flee France and come to America for a better life. They set up a photography studio in the West, and get married. But then tragedy strikes, and Jeanne becomes a widow with a baby girl. It's not until several years later that her and David's paths cross. Beautiful love story.

kosmo5150 Interesting to read some other reviews here talk of how art plays a role in this film, and how that's a bad or somehow less appealing thing. Maybe it's the genre they see as this not working well. For some, a simpler film may be best. But this film integrates a variety of story lines and looks to take the viewer on a forward and backward ride forcing you to think about what you missed and what is yet to come. With that, it's too complicated, too artsy if you will, for a dumbed down less sophisticated American movie audience. Sad that some miss this, but see the film for yourself and appreciate film making for the art IT IS!!! American film audiences have a lot of work to do! Otherwise, I love the film for the French language and story line in Paris because I love French, France, and Paris!

P C Rediscovering Lelouch on DVD, not having seen his films since they were aired on TV in the 70s and 80s, I enjoy them even more than expected.This is not a western, not a love story, not a historical picture... it is all of it and none of it, it is about how lifes cross depending on random changes of fate. If you like mindless action, down-to-earth westerns or tear-jerkers pass your way as you will not have the patience or the "gusto" to watch (just rent any mindless Stallone or Schwarzenegger movie, that should do). If on the other hand you can be moved by the little things of life and you want a real story, with lots of content and brought with great skill, this is definitely for you. This is not an artsy movie, it's a great movie!Lelouche has a knack of developing his characters over the duration of his movies, so you feel like you are part of the environment and not someone peeking in on what happens or a distant spectator. In "Un autre homme, une autre chance" he bridges the ocean to tell us about a french woman and an American man that could not be more different. The way they both evolve and finally come together through ups and downs, is made very special exactly by the fact it is so common... a reality show without the voyeuristic element that often leaves a bitter after-taste. It is told with such ease and with great performance of the actors.Definitely one of Lelouche's best movies and a must-see.