JOUEUSE (QUEEN TO PLAY)
France, 2009, 97 minutes. Colour.
Sandrine Bonnaire, Kevin Kline, Valerie Lagrange, Francis Renaud.
Directed by Caroline Bottaro.
Joyeuse is an entertaining psychological drama focusing on a young woman on the island of Corsica, a maid and a cleaner, without much prospect of future advancement. She is happily married and has a daughter who is beginning to become rebellious.
She works for Doctor Kroger (Kevin Kline in a French-speaking role). He is a crusty man, a recluse. She sees him with an American visitor (Jennifer Beals) and sees him playing chess. She becomes fascinated with chess, wants to learn, buys a set for her husband’s birthday, asks for help from Doctor Kroger who reluctantly does give some assistance. As she becomes preoccupied with chess, its movements and skills, she becomes a different person, becoming aware of capacities for thinking and feeling that she was unaware of. This has an effect, of course, on her family who do not understand.
Ultimately, she is ready to go to competition with the backing of the doctor. She is looked on as an amateur but proves herself in the competition.
The film is one about affirmation for a woman, growing in self-esteem, realising potential that she was unaware of. Sandrine Bonnaire is expert at this kind of role.
The Corsican settings are an attractive bonus for the film. Comparisons could be made with an Argentinian film, Rompecabezas (Puzzle) which is about a middle-aged woman who follows a similar path, but this time the focus is on her capacity for completing jigsaw puzzles. It also has an effect on her ordinary life, and her emotional life.
1. A personal drama, French style? Characters and situations? Offbeat?
2. The Corsica setting, the beauty of the island, the affluent world, the ordinary world? The blend of the romantic and the ordinary?
3. The title, the happiness for Helene? The focus on the chess? Audiences and their interest in and skills with chess – or not?
4. A character study of Helene, through her work, through her relationships, through her love of chess, her discovery, chess and its meaning?
5. Helene as the chambermaid, her work in cleaning, at home, the meals, ordinary domestic? Her husband, his work? An ordinary life, lack of opportunities? Her observing other people, her intelligence – and the prospects of emotional and intellectual growth?
6. Helene as wife, as mother, her yearnings for more, the difficulties with her daughter and her studies, going out, discipline and permissions?
7. Kroger, the expatriate, his wealth, his American friends, the visit of the American woman, Helene being intrigued?
8. Kroger as crusty, living alone, playing chess, his reactions to Helene, indifference?
9. Helene and the chess, looking at the games, learning, in the study, asking Kroger for help, his reluctance?
10. Her buying the set for her husband’s birthday? His puzzle? Her playing the games with Kroger, strategies and tactics, learning, improving? The effect on her, her personality, the nature of the changes, the development?
11. Dealing with her husband, his puzzle, the issue of chess? His love for her, reactions?
12. The issue of competitions, the entry, training, the competitors and their reactions, the management?
13. Her skills, achievement, Kroger and his support, her shrewdness? Her understanding more of her identity, self-esteem? Able to relate to others? What would she be like in the future?
