The Lover
“She gave her innocence, her passion, her body. The one thing she couldn't give was her love.”
A poor French teenage girl engages in an illicit affair with a wealthy Chinese heir in 1920s Saigon. For the first time in her young life she has control, and she wields it deftly over her besotted lover throughout a series of clandestine meetings and torrid encounters.
Where to watch The Lover in United States
Can I watch The Lover in United States? Yes — you can stream The Lover in United States on OVID, Kanopy, and Fandango at Home Free, or rent and buy it on Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies.
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Kanopy
Fandango at Home Free
Pluto TV
Tubi TV
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTubeClick a service to open The Lover there. Availability last verified on September 5, 2026.
Where is The Lover streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | OVID, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free, Pluto TV | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Sky Store |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| Australia | Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| Germany | — | Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube |
| France | — | Apple TV Store, Canal VOD, Orange VOD |
| Spain | Tivify | — |
| Brazil | — | Claro video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
| South Korea | Netflix, wavve, Netflix Standard with Ads, TVING | wavve, Google Play Movies |
About The Lover
The Lover is a 1992 French-language drama and romance film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. The cast is led by Jane March, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Frédérique Meininger. It has a runtime of 1h 55m. Viewers rate it 7.0/10 across 800 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on OVID, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free.
The Lover was produced by Timothy Burrill Productions, Renn Productions, and Grai Phang Film Studio and made in France and United Kingdom. It was released on January 22, 1992, and carries a R certification. At the box office it grossed around $5 million worldwide.
- Director
- Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Writers
- Gérard Brach, Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Release date
- January 22, 1992
- Original language
- French
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- France, United Kingdom
- Box office
- $5 million
- Production
- Timothy Burrill Productions, Renn Productions, Grai Phang Film Studio
The Lover cast & crew
The Lover was directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and written by Gérard Brach and Jean-Jacques Annaud.
The cast features Jane March as The Young Girl, Tony Leung Ka-fai as The Chinaman, Frédérique Meininger as The Mother, Arnaud Giovaninetti as The Elder Brother, Melvil Poupaud as The Younger Brother, and Lisa Faulkner as Helene Lagonelle.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Gabriel Yared, cinematography is by Robert Fraisse, and it was produced by Claude Berri.
Is The Lover worth watching?
The Lover holds an audience score of 7.0/10 from 778 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 1h 55m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama and romance, The Lover is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Lover
In United States, you can stream The Lover on OVID, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free, Pluto TV, and Tubi TV, or rent and buy it on Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
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Cast of The Lover
Jane March
The Young Girl
Tony Leung Ka-fai
The Chinaman
Frédérique Meininger
The Mother
Arnaud Giovaninetti
The Elder Brother
Melvil Poupaud
The Younger Brother
Lisa Faulkner
Helene Lagonelle
Jeanne Moreau
Narrator (voice)
Xiem Mang
The Chinaman's Father
Philippe Le Dem
The French Teacher
Ann Schaufuss
Anne-Marie Stretter
Tania Torrens
The Principal
Espérance Pham Thai Lan
Femme
The Lover — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Lover in United States?
The Lover is streaming on OVID, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free, Pluto TV in United States.
▸Is The Lover on OVID?
Yes — The Lover is currently available on OVID in United States.
▸What language is The Lover in?
The Lover is originally in French, with audio tracks including Mandarin, English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Lover?
The Lover runs 1 hours 55 minutes (115 minutes).
▸What is The Lover rated?
The Lover is rated R. It holds a 7.0/10 audience score from 778 ratings.
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