Rating: 
Summary: A Bit better than most Godard films, but, not his best!
Review: Jean-Luc Godard it is said by some to be one of the greatest French filmmakers ever! It is also said that he was a great inventor for cinema. I can't can't get why people say such things about him! Don't get me wrong, Godard has made some good movies. His best in my opinion was "Breathless", he then later made two decent films; "My Life To Live" (Maybe a bit more than decent) and "First Name; Carmen". He, as a filmmaker, has consistanly shocked me with his films. As someone who's a wanna be filmmaker I ususally see as many films as possible by all the highly reguarded filmmakers. It is for that reason, and ONLY that reason that I continue to watch films by Godard. "Two or Three Things I Know About Her" digust me! It's soooo pretenious! It trys so hard to be something it can never be. The same is true with his later film "Passion". And his earlier "masterpiece" "Weekend". But, this film is not as bad as those other films ( at least in my opinion). This movie in the begining works quite well. There actually seems to be a story I can get involved in ( way to go Godard!!). The problem is Godard lets the movie run out of steam fast. The movie just seems to go on and on. He played up all his good ideas early on in the movie. After 30 maybe 40 minutes the whole film becomes boring. It loses it's purpose. Another problem with the movie is it's billed as a comedy\drama\romance\musical. It's ever so clearly none of these things. There's ONE song in the movie. It's not a very romantic seeing a woman trying to get her boyfriend's best friend into bed with her so she can have a baby. The movie isn't really funny either. Perhaps silly at times, but I myself was not laughing out loud from this movie. And the human element needed to be a drama is missing. We don't feel sorry for her, or any other character. We have no one to place our feelings with. I honestly don't know what "type" of film this is, all I do know is it's a bad one. I can be nice and state that the begining of the movie does have something going for it. It is "sweet" and has charm to it. But the movie is also billed as a tribute to old Hollywood style musicals. With that in mind I was waiting for something to happen. I was waiting for some big song and dance number. Something a bit relatable to the musicals of the 40's and 50's. Not Godard's worst film, not Godard's best film. An average film by anyone's standards, I don't care if Godard did direct it or not. ** 1\2 out of *****
Rating: 
Summary: Dull movie, shabby DVD
Review: Not a musical, not a comedy, hardly a tribute to Hollywood movies -- not much of anything, really. Aside from "Breathless", isn't it time to admit Godard is among the world's most overrated auteurs? But even if you love this movie, the Fox-Lorber DVD will disappoint you; the subtitles on this print must have beeen hard to read in theatres, let alone in a less-than-state-of-the-art video transfer. Maybe a nice Criterion edition with commentary might change my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: There She Goes...
Review: The New Wave has been assessed in every intellectual capacity, and using every aesthetic criterion imaginable, but what makes the New Wave the most beguiling of cinematic phenomenon is that, in essence, it is a declaration of the love of cinema, through cinema itself.AWOMAN IS A WOMAN ("Une Femme est une Femme"), Godard's third film, is as much a milestone as his own "Breathless" two years earlier. The basic premise is effectively that of a kitchen sink drama; an exotic dancer's (Anna Karina) whim to have a baby is met with consternation by her boyfriend (Jean-Claude Brialy), who is further dismayed when she asks a mutual friend (Jean-Paul Belmondo) to act as a surrogate father. But the neo-realist background gives way to a film shot in bold, giddy colours and synchronised to Legrand's harebrained soundtrack - A WOMAN IS A WOMAN is best described as a musical with no singing. Actors frequently affect choreographed like stances and positions, their conversations punctuated with overtly dramatic interventions from Legrand's score. Our heroine expresses her desire to appear in an American musical, "with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse", before adopting the relevant deportment for the approval of the audience, who are constantly consulted, bowed to, winked at and cavorted with by actors revelling in front of Godard's lens. It is Godard's preference for the actor, in favour of the character, that makes A WOMAN IS A WOMAN an unparalleled experience in spontaneity. Filmed without a script, the actors wear their own clothes and concoct their own dialogue. Belmondo in particular frolics in the new-found fame gifted to him by Godard, expressing his wish to be present when "they're showing Breathless on television", and grinning at the audience as he namedrops new acquaintance Burt Lancaster. Later, he meets Jeanne Moreau in a bar, and asks her "how JULES ET JIM is coming along". And it is with Truffaut's masterpiece that A WOMAN IS A WOMAN shares its essential raison d'être - the embodiment of femininity through a dazzling and formidable singularity, in this instance Anna Karina, whose whims, mood-swings and impetuosity are her right and privilege as a woman, as all women. "Women have a right to dodge issues, men don't", she tells Brialy, shortly after decreeing the stupidity of modern women, "these women who imitate men". A smile turns to a frown or a tear in the blink of an eye, and back again just as quickly, in an infectiously joyful and touching performance that is among cinema's most engaging. Karina, the new wave bride, worked with husband Godard on seven of his greatest films, but it is this wonderful and dizzying cinematic cocktail that is Godard's most translucent love poem to an extraordinary actress touched by an impulsive genius and unique beauty. Along with JULES ET JIM, Jacques Demy's LOLA and Godard's own BAND A PART, A WOMAN IS A WOMAN is the most energizing and uplifting of all New Wave films. Ironic, gleeful and baffling, it is essentially summed up by Brialy himself, who towards the film's delightful conclusion declares: "I don't know if this is a comedy or a tragedy, but it's a masterpiece"
Rating:
Summary: One of Godard's best
Review: This is a beautiful, exilarating, joyful film if there ever was one. I can't watch this thing without getting an overwealming sense of euphoria. Godard wasn't really known for making such whimsical films, and this one still contains his cynical observations on the relationships of people, but it is nevertheless is most exuberant picture. I consider this my favourite film of his, and indeed one of my favourite films ever, along with his (far more depressing) "Contempt". All the acting is wonderful to watch, Anna Karina is incredible, as is Belmondo. It also features some of Godard's most exciting experimentation. See this film.
Rating:
Summary: Misunderstood masterpiece?
Review: This is certainly one of the finest films Godard has ever made and not in spite of the criticisms that could be leveled against it but because of them. The indifference with which he treats his style and the more traditional styles of movie-making are an irony in and of themselves. Godard has reached his exalted status (rightly or wrongly) by abusing technique, both as a storyteller and a filmmaker. Of course the movie is bad -- almost everything he's made has been bad in it's own special way and that's the point. He's clearly got intelligence and creativity and he just as clearly has no intention of ever bringing it to any kind of satisfying focus or discernible fruition. The work itself is a kind of revolution in its violation of aesthetic. Buying the DVD is more of a political statement than anything else and a foolish waste of money on the part of anyone who's looking to be entertained. Buying the DVD and throwing it out the window is one of only many things that could be done with it. It could also be turned into a four or five star coaster. There are endless applications for this technology, some of which Godard may have already anticipated in the making of this film.
Rating: 
Summary: a fine early work by Goddard
Review: This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
"A Woman is a Woman", released in France as "Une femme est une femme," is one of Jean-Luc Goddard's first major film releases.
It follows the story of an exotic dancer who wants to have a child. When her boyfriend is not interested, she goes after one of his friends.
The film despite it's portrayal of striptease dancers, is tame even by the standards of the time. It is filmed in full color and has some nice scenery in it. The humor is also quite good also.
The DVD has some excellent special features as well.
The DVD has the short film "Charlotte et Véronique ou Tous les garçons s'appellent Patrick" or "All Boys Are Called Patrick" which is one of Goddard's earliest films.
There is also an audio recording promoting the film with some interesting imagery, a series of behind the scenes photos and publicity shots, lobby cards, and posters, a scene from a 1966 interview with some of the cast and crew, and a theatrical trailer.
In addition the liner notes contain more material than normal, including an interview.
This is one that Goddard fans will love.
Rating:
Summary: A glorious celebration of life!
Review: When you watch "A Woman is a Woman" you enter a cinematic fantasy world created by Godard, one of our most inventive filmmakers. It is a world filled with color, music, humor, heartbreak, fluid tracking shots, creative editing and groundbreaking audio tracks. When you watch films like Coppola's "One from the Heart" or the recent "Moulin Rouge" you can instantly see how much "A Woman is a Woman" influenced those films. The big difference is Godard's film was made in 1961! Years ahead of it's time. The acting from Brialy, Belmondo and Karina is nothing short of brilliant. They play off of each other so well and look like they're having a marvelous time thru-out the film. The music score by Michel Legrand is one of the highlights of the viewing experience. There are so many musical interludes that pay homage to Hollywood musicals and at moments grand opera. They're just breathtaking! But remember, this is Godard's version of "life as musical." The actors don't break into song at any given moment. The musical score accents their dialogue as if they were in a musical, operatic production. In reading the other reviews posted here I am shocked to see people write the film off as a piece of boring fluff. If you keep an open mind and allow yourself to enter the world created by Godard in "A Woman is a Woman" you will be greatly rewarded. You'll wish you could go back in time and be on the streets of Paris sharing Anna Karina's red umbrella!
Rating:
Summary: A glorious celebration of life!
Review: When you watch "A Woman is a Woman" you enter a cinematic fantasy world created by Godard, one of our most inventive filmmakers. It is a world filled with color, music, humor, heartbreak, fluid tracking shots, creative editing and groundbreaking audio tracks. When you watch films like Coppola's "One from the Heart" or the recent "Moulin Rouge" you can instantly see how much "A Woman is a Woman" influenced those films. The big difference is Godard's film was made in 1961! Years ahead of it's time. The acting from Brialy, Belmondo and Karina is nothing short of brilliant. They play off of each other so well and look like they're having a marvelous time thru-out the film. The music score by Michel Legrand is one of the highlights of the viewing experience. There are so many musical interludes that pay homage to Hollywood musicals and at moments grand opera. They're just breathtaking! But remember, this is Godard's version of "life as musical." The actors don't break into song at any given moment. The musical score accents their dialogue as if they were in a musical, operatic production. In reading the other reviews posted here I am shocked to see people write the film off as a piece of boring fluff. If you keep an open mind and allow yourself to enter the world created by Godard in "A Woman is a Woman" you will be greatly rewarded. You'll wish you could go back in time and be on the streets of Paris sharing Anna Karina's red umbrella!
Rating:
Summary: "I'm Not Without Shame. I'm a Dame!"
Review: With the minor exception of the new english subtitles messing up this great final line, the Criterion Collection edition of Godard's "A Woman Is A Woman" is yet another outstanding release, on par with their "Contempt" and "Band of Outsiders" DVDs. Great picture/sound quality and great extras. An early short film (from 1957), "All Boys Are Called Patrick" is alone worth the price of the DVD. It's nice to see even in 1957, Godard had his style down; it's quite a funny bit of cinema. Wong Kar-Wai clearly liked this short-film, because there's a scene from "Chungking Express" lifted straight from it. Also included on this DVD is a 1966 French television interview with Anna Karina and she's enchanting as always (interesting to, because this comes right after her break-up with Godard), plus you see a bit of Serge Gainsbourg talking about Anna! If you're a Godard and/or Anna Karina fan, this is a must-own DVD. The movie itself, "A Woman Is A Woman", is one of Godard's most expiermental yet more accessible films. It's without doubt, his funniest film with several verbal and sight gags that will cause you to laugh-out-loud. And Raoul Coutard's camera work is amazing as usual. This film was definitely a few years ahead of it's time, seeming more in line with post-LSD flicks like Magical Mystery Tour and The Thomas Crown Affair than anything else form the early 1960s. Also, there's Michel LeGrand's outstanding, hyper-active score, which foreshadowed his Thomas Crown work.
Rating:
Summary: "I'm Not Without Shame. I'm a Dame!"
Review: With the minor exception of the new english subtitles messing up this great final line, the Criterion Collection edition of Godard's "A Woman Is A Woman" is yet another outstanding release, on par with their "Contempt" and "Band of Outsiders" DVDs. Great picture/sound quality and great extras. An early short film (from 1957), "All Boys Are Called Patrick" is alone worth the price of the DVD. It's nice to see even in 1957, Godard had his style down; it's quite a funny bit of cinema. Wong Kar-Wai clearly liked this short-film, because there's a scene from "Chungking Express" lifted straight from it. Also included on this DVD is a 1966 French television interview with Anna Karina and she's enchanting as always (interesting to, because this comes right after her break-up with Godard), plus you see a bit of Serge Gainsbourg talking about Anna! If you're a Godard and/or Anna Karina fan, this is a must-own DVD. The movie itself, "A Woman Is A Woman", is one of Godard's most expiermental yet more accessible films. It's without doubt, his funniest film with several verbal and sight gags that will cause you to laugh-out-loud. And Raoul Coutard's camera work is amazing as usual. This film was definitely a few years ahead of it's time, seeming more in line with post-LSD flicks like Magical Mystery Tour and The Thomas Crown Affair than anything else form the early 1960s. Also, there's Michel LeGrand's outstanding, hyper-active score, which foreshadowed his Thomas Crown work.
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