A meaningless discourse on love

Le Genou De Claire (Claire's Knee, French; 1970)

Continuing into the journey French culture, I ventured into Éric Rohmer's fifth movie in the series of the Six Moral Tales. I am still wondering how it was voted as the year's best movie for the year. Maybe I am ignorant or overlooked something, pray tell.
It tell of a 30 something old diplomat (Jerome) who is spending time in the beautiful French countryside, trying to sell off his bungalow before he settles down to a fellow diplomat who is away on tour of duty.
By chance he bumps into his old friend, Aurora. Through Aurora, he catches the acquaintances of Madame Walter, a widow and a divorcee who is about to marry for the third time as well as her daughter, Laura and her step daughter, Claire (who appears later).

Even though, Laura is just a teenager, Jerome seems to be unable to resist his attraction for her because of her complex character. Laura just puts a damper on his feelings after initially teasing him.
Then, when the physically attractive Claire appears, Jerome falls for her; not for proportionately endowed physique but he develops a fetish for her knee! -hence the title!
Whilst all these is going on, Aurora and Jerome have an intellectual
discourse on the turn of events.

One day, Jerome catches Claire's boyfriend intimate with another lady. He informs her on a boat trip and he gets his fetishism satisfied when he coaxes an emotional Claire by stroking her knee!
Time comes for everyone to leave - Jerome off to meet his beau for wedding etcetera, Laura to Switzerland boarding school, Claire reconciles with her boyfriend. Aurora revealed she is actually engaged.
The main attraction of the movie, beside the actresses was the picturesque country-side scenery.
I find the characters a bit too talkative for their age. It is not quite usual to have teenagers to be able to analyse and express their inner feelings so succinctly, especially to someone much older than themselves.

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