this movie be sheer visual poetry . although it be in subtitle and i do not speak a lick of french and i find myself not need to read the subtitle a the visuals tell the entire story . this be rather impressive and a the story be very complicate . it tell the tale of one man life by interweave four different element of his life represent childhood and middle age and old age and and a film noir fantasy world . to give it even more of a chance of be confuse and these element be not show chronologically . however and toto . be not confuse at all . it pull off this complicate plot beautifully . this movie truly be a modern day classic . dvd . when . criterion edition .