The 2nd-greatest-film-ever-made, after Renoir's 'The Rules of the Game'. A transposition of rankings would be contestable. (ex aequo 'Histoire(s) du cinéma') If Renoir's film and Rivette's film occupy the flipsides of 'that' glove spoken about by Truffaut, then confidence falls like rain and we can say, blinking drops away like tears, and vice-versa: "The ultimate film."

One of the 10 best films ever made.