Gabrielle

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 10^th 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

La fidélité

His quality of a husband entitled him to the largest privileges, but gave him no greater share in the affections of his wife…

My friends, before I begin the expression of those thoughts that I deem appropriate for this film, would you permit to make a little confession. A novel «The Princess of Cleves» written by Madame de La Fayette have not impressed me. The book is rather well-written, but it didn’t capture me. Maybe I am just an ignorant and (or) uneducated bogan. Despite this fact, I am an admirer of Andrzej Zulawski films, so I cannot miss his, still, last film.

«La fidelite» is a loose adaptation of «The Princess of Cleves»; all main events of the novel were translated in a cinema language with one little fact – events were transformed from the XVI century France to the XX century France.

If you say Andrzej Zulawski, a lot people would associate his name with «Possession». Any seasoned film admirer would be surprised – «The master of  hysterical excesses» (plagiarizing from one site) made a rather calm and restrained picture. The one could see the outbursts of a trademark Zulawski’s expression, but they are limited in time and scope.

The main theme of this film is a fight between love and societal norms. Clelia is torn apart by love to Nemo and «normal» marriage to Cleves. The Heroine can’t force herself to say «tous» to her husband and to love her husband, who sincerely loves her, but she feels a certain gratitude to him.      

Despite the fact, that «The Princess of Cleves» hasn’t made any lasting impression on me, but the book’s dilemma is still relevant. From the Middle Ages to the XXI century, a lot of couples are stuck in a loveless marriage which are merely bound by societal or some other norms.  

The Director, along with loose adaptation of «The Princess of Cleves», entered into a film the theme of clash between art and mass-media. In this sphere, the choice of Clelia’s profession is rather symbolic. A photographer is a profession which operates on the margin between art and vulgarity. Into this themes and many other, «La fidelite» contains a lot of references with «L’important c’est d’aimer». I recommend watching these films together.

Andrzej Zulawski also enters, not completely successful, the storyline of investigative reporting on the human organs trafficking and a subsequent hunt for Nemo. Nevetheless, the one could see the trademark Zulawski’s expression and they does not degrade a film.

I did not have a very high opinion about Sophie Marceau, but it has changed after my acquaintance with the films of Zulawski. Sophie Marceau is a good actress who, sadly, has not fully realized her acting talent quite often. In this film she convincingly portrayed a modern Princess of Cleves – a woman torn between love and marital obligations. Sadly, this film was the last «high-octane» role for Sophie Marceau. Nevertheless, let’s hope that she will act in something serious again.

«La fidelite» is a sincere film, which would touch any film aficionados. After watching this film, you only have to wait for release of a new Zulawski’s film.