The Long Absence
Year: 1961
Runtime: 98 mins
Language: French
Director: Henri Colpi
Therese, who runs a small café, still grieves the enigmatic disappearance of her husband sixteen years ago. When a wandering tramp shows up in town, she becomes convinced he is her missing spouse. Though he suffers from amnesia, she tirelessly works to revive his lost memories of their shared past.
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Timeline & Setting – The Long Absence (1961)
Explore the full timeline and setting of The Long Absence (1961). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.
Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56
Main Characters – The Long Absence (1961)
Meet the key characters of The Long Absence (1961), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.
Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56
Major Themes – The Long Absence (1961)
Explore the central themes of The Long Absence (1961), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.
Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Movies about memory and loss like The Long Absence
Character-driven stories about the painful search for a vanished past.If you like the melancholic, slow-paced drama of The Long Absence, you'll find similar stories here. This list features quiet, character-driven films that explore themes of amnesia, grief, and the obsessive, often unresolved, search for lost loved ones and forgotten identities.
Long Day's Journey Into Night
2019
The Long Absence
1961
i'm thinking of ending things
2020
Valley of Love
2016
Late Autumn
2011
The Man with Three Coffins
1987
Landscape in the Mist
1988
Aloners
2023
Somewhere
2010
Memoria
2016
Under the Sand
2001
L’Avventura
1960
The Story of Marie and Julien
2003
What Time Is It Over There?
2002
Anguish
2015
Narrative Summary
The narrative typically follows a protagonist, often burdened by grief, who encounters a potential link to their past. This triggers a gradual, introspective process of testing memories and confronting the possibility of reclaiming what was lost. The journey is less about action and more about psychological unraveling, frequently building to an ambiguous or bittersweet conclusion that questions the very nature of identity and closure.
Why These Movies?
These films are grouped by their shared focus on the themes of memory and irretrievable loss. They possess a melancholic, pensive tone, a slow, deliberate pacing that allows for deep character immersion, and a narrative centered on an emotional and psychological quest rather than a physical one.
Quiet obsessive dramas similar to The Long Absence
Stories where a fragile belief becomes a character's entire world.For viewers who appreciated the quiet obsession in The Long Absence, this collection features similar character studies. These movies focus on individuals whose lives are consumed by a single, uncertain hope, portrayed through slow-burn narratives with a melancholic yet hopeful atmosphere.
Narrative Summary
The plot revolves around a central character who invests all their emotional energy into a specific possibility, such as the return of a missing person or the truth of a deeply held conviction. The narrative unfolds slowly, focusing on the subtle interactions and psychological maneuvers the protagonist uses to sustain their belief. The conflict is internal and interpersonal, creating a poignant tension that questions whether their hope is a saving grace or a destructive force.
Why These Movies?
These movies share a specific character archetype: the obsessively hopeful individual. They are united by a restrained, melancholic mood, a slow pacing that mirrors the character's protracted vigil, and a narrative structure that places psychological ambiguity at its core, resulting in a similarly moderate but deeply felt emotional weight.
Unlock the Full Story of The Long Absence
Don't stop at just watching — explore The Long Absence in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what The Long Absence is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
The Long Absence Summary
Read a complete plot summary of The Long Absence, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
The Long Absence Timeline
Track the full timeline of The Long Absence with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
