Providence

“A Movie of Rare Intelligence”

On the eve of his 78th birthday, Clive Langham (John Gielgud), an ailing, alcoholic novelist, lies awake through the night and composes his next book in his head. Alain Resnais follows him as he builds scenes around his own family, with Claude (Dirk Bogarde) and Sonia (Ellen Burstyn) cast in parts he writes and rewrites. Clive mutters commentary on every one of them, harshest of all on the people he claims to be inventing.