An examination of the relationships between three characters in a love triangle , it was Eustache's first feature film and is considered his masterpiece. Eustache wrote the screenplay drawing inspiration from his own relationships, and shot the film from May to July With some divided initial critical reaction, it has been championed by later critics and filmmakers. Alexandre is an unemployed young intellectual, perhaps a journalist, living a rudderless life in Paris.
Subtly but totally self-absorbed, Alexandre spends most of his days lecturing his companions about political and philosophical topics, among them his opinions on contemporary films, such as The Working Class Goes to Heaven , and his memories of the Mai 68 protests. He lives with his lover Marie, who works at a dress store and responds to his continuous apathy for her with angry invective that masks her strong feelings for him. When Alexandre attempts to persuade an ex-girlfriend, Gilberte, to marry him, Gilberte opts instead to marry another man.
The two eventually go on a date. Priding herself on her promiscuity and her status as a liberated woman , Veronika makes advances on Alexandre, eventually seducing him. Marie immediately sees through Alexandre's clumsy attempts to hide his affair, treating him with a gradually increasing fury that only abates when they themselves have sex. When Marie goes on a business trip to London , Alexandre first beds Veronika in his apartment, then sleeps with another friend of his who had earlier expressed the desire to cheat on her husband.
After each tryst, Alexandre lectures the women on various topics, while playing classical and pop music on his record player. Eventually, Veronika visits the apartment of her own accord while drunk. She arrives to find Alexandre and Marie nude in bed, and levies insults upon all three of them.
Marie and Veronika both claim to enjoy the resulting polyamorous relationship, but each one secretly vies for Alexandre's undivided affections. After Alexandre reacts poorly to Marie inviting one of her own ex-lovers to a party, the relationship quickly breaks down. Later, Marie attempts to commit suicide with sleeping pills, though Alexandre quickly stops her.
