That Tender Age 1964

Engagement plan before summer vacation

Antoine Lartigue and Marie Malhouin decide to get engaged just before their summer vacation. Their families react with mixed emotions, with Marie's father Émile appearing guarded and skeptical. Antoine's father Adolphe, by contrast, is ecstatic and insists the Malhouins come to his villa in St Tropez to celebrate.

Arrival at Adolphe's villa in St Tropez

The Malhouin and Lartigue families arrive at Adolphe's villa in St Tropez. Émile remains phlegmatic and reserved, while Adolphe's unbridled bonhomie and bragging grate on him. Tensions begin to surface as Marie's flirtation with an old flame at a disco provokes Antoine into an explosive outburst.

Disco confrontation and Antoine's temper

Marie is appalled by the public scene and breaks off the engagement. She asserts her independence and refuses to be part of the volatile dynamic any longer. The vacation atmosphere soured as emotions flare and the couple's plans start to unravel.

Marie ends the engagement

Marie makes a decisive break, ending the engagement in the wake of the confrontation. The decision marks a turning point that shatters the summer plans. The two families confront the consequences of the quarrel.

Émile returns to Paris

In response to the broken engagement, Émile packs the family into the car and drives back to Paris. The vacation ends with a sudden withdrawal rather than a reconciliation. Adolphe's mood shifts as the trip departs on a sour note.

Adolphe arrives in Paris to search for Antoine

Back in Paris, Adolphe has already arrived to search for Antoine, who has disappeared. The sense of urgency grows as both families try to understand what happened. Marie and Émile begin to brace for troubling news.

Marie disappears one evening; Émile searches

One evening Marie does not come home, prompting Émile to ring everyone he can think of in hopes of locating her. The phone lines prove busy, heightening the tension and worry. Adolphe remains involved, as the search for Antoine continues in the background.

Adolphe arrives in Paris to help locate Antoine

Adolphe presses on with the search for Antoine, arriving in Paris and coordinating with Émile's circle. He checks contacts and follows leads, determined to uncover the disappeared fiancé. The mounting strain tests all participants as days pass with little news.

Adolphe knocks on Émile's door

In a moment of worry, Adolphe arrives at Émile's door and knocks, seeking information about Antoine. Émile answers with a cold, frosty reception, still smarting from the earlier quarrel. The tense exchange underscores how far the families are from reconciliation.

Marie rings to say she is safe and with Antoine

At that moment, Marie phones home to say she is all right and that she is with Antoine. Her reassuring words shift the mood from crisis to cautious relief, even as the underlying tensions remain unresolved. The couple's safety becomes the immediate focus of everyone involved.

News confirms Antoine and Marie are together

With Marie’s call, it becomes clear that she is with Antoine, which diffuses some of the immediate fear. The two families begin to adjust to the new reality, acknowledging the broken engagement but relieved that they are safe. The situation moves from crisis to a complicated calm.