by Eleanor Mannikka
synopsis
Asked to contribute to a French television series on views of France through the eyes of foreign directors, Manoel de Oliveira chose Nice and its environs and is surprisingly negative and unconvincing. He notes that gambling is the main source of municipal income, the city lives mainly for tourists, and then he intercuts scenes of Nice from the work of Jean Vigo that paint it as joyful. Some views of a museum exhibition on the ancient past of the site also contrast with Oliveira's slant on gambling and mindless tourism in the city. Other brief segments in this long 59 minutes seem beside the point, adding more questions about what Oliveira really intended here.
