"We all want love. But when we find it, we pull back. It scares us." So says Pierre Arnaud, a wealthy retired judge, in this outstanding 1995 film by French director Claude Sautet (1924-2000). It explores the relationship between Arnaud and Nelly, a young woman who is having problems with her lover. Arnaud hires Nelly as a secretary to help him write his memoirs, and what follows is a fascinating portrait of two people warily guarding their personal feelings.

This is no steamy love affair, but a thoughtful and compelling portrayal of rounded, believable characters. Arnaud is gallant and reluctant to hurt or be hurt, satisfied with Nelly's companionship; Nelly is vulnerable, prone to fending off perceived advances with small but hurtful lies. If you've seen Sautet's Un cur en hiver, another affecting portrait of restrained love between a shy middle-aged man and a young professional violinist with some gorgeous music by Ravel, you'll know what to expect. Emmanuelle Béart was the violinist in that film; here she plays Nelly, while Michel Serrault is Arnaud. Both turn in superb, affecting performances in this wonderful piece of modern French cinema.