THE DECLINE OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE
Canada, 1986, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dominque Michel, Dorothee Berriman, Louise Portal, Remi Girard, Pierre Curzi, Yves Jacques, Genevieve Rioux, Daniel Briere.
Directed by Denys Arcand.
The Decline of the American Empire is a Canadian film which won an Oscar domination for Best Foreign Film, 1986. It was written and directed by Denys Arcand.
While the title, reminiscent of Edward Gibbons and his commentaries on the Roman Empire, sounds rather grandiose, the film is really a chamber-piece, discussions between eight people, four men and four women about contemporary morals, ethical stances, work, careers, relationships. It is humorous and serious. The characters talk particularly frankly about their own lives and relationships, about sexuality. The rather wordy dialogue means that audiences must be attentive - and will be rewarded by some stimulating and interesting conversation. It is interesting to see the film as a Canadian view of American contemporary values.
Arcand went on to make Jesus of Montreal. In 2003, he released a sequel, gathering these characters together sixteen years later. It was The Barbarian Invasions and won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film of 2003.
1. An interesting film? For adult audiences? Canadian? Perspective on the United States and American values? Oscar nomination?
2. The title and the images, contemporary civilisation? The United States as symbolic, real? Social issues, psychological issues? Decline?
3. The film as a chamber-piece, the characters and establishing them, in relationship to each other, in relationship to contemporary values? Situations for their talk? Dramatised hypotheses?
The strength and quality of the dialogue, the frankness of the talk, truthful, self-deceiving, incisive, insightful, flip and serious? Psycho-drama?
5. The focus on men and women: in groups, the bonds between the men, between the women, between men and women? Experiences, attitudes and stances? Self-understanding? Lifestyle? Careers? Relationships? Power? Sexuality? The politics of sexuality? Interaction?
6. The introduction to the characters: the four men: at home, preparing the meal, the married man, the promiscuous man, the divorcee, the homosexual? Age, experience? The contrast with the women and their jobs, gathering at
the health spa: the married woman, the faithful woman, the promiscuous woman, the woman living alone? A contemporary feminist perspective? The irony of the young woman and her work in the massage parlour and her not revealing this to the others?
7. Themes: the title, the pursuit of happiness, the exploration of the theme of individualism, self-preoccupation? Honesty?
8. The men: Remy: his marriage, affairs, relationship with Louise, Dominique and her affair? Pierre: separated, his wife, attitude, with Danielle in the massage parlour? Discussion? Claude and his homosexuality, cruising, illness? Alain and his listening, judging? The interaction of the rien and their varying points of view? Friendly with each other, hostile, judging?
9. The women: Dominique: her interview, relationships, Remy and Pierre and the affairs, her feminist stances?, Louise as the faithful housewife, her being crushed by promiscuity, the sexual liaison for Remy's sake, upset? Diane as the housewife, affairs, the sado-masochist relationship, the arrival of the man and her having to cope? Danielle, young, the massage parlour, the sexual services to the men, especially to Pierre and the discussion?
10. Supporting characters and their moving in and out of the film? Especially the man and his relationship with Diane?
11. A cinematic way of exploring values? Is the American empire in decline? Or merely continuing?
