I love Gabrielle as a collector loves his most prized
object.
The visit of Isabelle Huppert to Moscow was an
unexpected and pleasant surprise. I have seen for two times «Les Fausses
Confidences» and once again I understood, that if there were no Isabelle
Huppert, it would be necessary to imagine her. The 62-year old Actress moved
like a ballet dancer and her voice acting was superb. That is why, the
wonderful Friday evening should be continued by watching some film with
Isabelle Huppert on Saturday.
Jean and Gabrielle Harvey are married for ten years.
Their marriage is a rather socially acceptable; they host the salons, take part
in charity and patronage. Nevertheless, their marriage in not built on love, as
Jean confides to the audience that he loves Gabrielle «as a collector loves his
most prized object. » The day of the 10th wedding anniversary goes
as usual until Jean discovers a note from Gabrielle in which she writes that she
will leave to meet her lover. Jean is completely lost and puzzled, but on the
same evening Gabrielle comes back.
Sadly, I have not read Joseph Conrad’s original short
story The Return. Even without that, the history of cinema knows many examples
of stories about contract or loveless marriages, but in lots of cinema rubbish
you could discover the true brilliants. From the first minutes, the film
director uses an original technique. Patrice Chereau uses black-and-white and
color cinema in order to distinguish between the routine and life.
Patrice Chereau made the film as a duo with «some inclusions»
from outside world. Since the letter is read, the dynamite is ready and the
foundation of family life is completely destroyed. The masques of humanity are swept away and two
monsters are shown. If in the beginning, Jean is only worried about societal
norms, then, during the course of the film, he more and more loses his sanity
and even becomes ready to rape his wife.
You could write a PhD thesis on an acting genius of
Pascal Greggory and Isabelle Huppert. In «La Reine Margot», Pascal Greggory,
almost without words, was able to portray an unprincipled, ruthless and power
greedy Duke of Anjou. In this film, The Actor has portrayed the mental disintegration
of his character, according to a standard paradigm «denial-rage-trade-depression-acceptance».
Isabelle Huppert sometimes acted in not too good films, but the world doesn’t
know such phrase as «bad acting of Isabelle Huppert».
«Gabrielle» is a clever and sad drama. If you are an
admirer of Isabelle Huppert, watch it immediately.
8/10
