TOTAL ECLIPSE
France, 1995, 103 minutes, Colour.
Leonardo di Caprio, David Thewliss, Romane Bohringer, Dominique Blanc.
Directed by Agnieszka Holland.
Total Eclipse is serious, a portrait of two influential but very unpleasant 19th century French poets, Verlaine and Rimbaud. With biographies of composers, one can listen to the music; with painters, one look at their art; with dramatists, one can look at their plays. But, with poets, as in this film (where, in fact, very little of the poetry is spoken), it is very difficult to gauge the art of their poems. This means that it is difficult to relate the art to the artists, especially when one is a young boor and the other is brutal to his wife when drunk. The film shows what we would now call their co-dependence and their sexual relationship (anticipating Wilde and his trial by 20 years).
For those interested in the period and the poets, the film is interesting. For a general audience, it would prove tedious. David Thewlis is good as Verlaine. Leonardo di Caprio is well cast as Rimbaud but his fans may be surprised at his choice of role (made before Romeo and Juliet and Titanic). Talented but unpleasant poets.
1. Audience awareness of the poets Rimbaud and Verlaine? Their poetry, their influence in 19th century poetry, in 19th century French literature? World literature?
2. The re-creation of the period: the 1870s and 1880s? The French countryside and country towns, Paris? Brussels, London? Abyssinia in the 1880s? Costumes and décor? Locations? The musical score and its romanticism?
3. The title, the reference to Rimbaud's poetry? The relationship between the two poets? The death wish?
4. The voice-over and the commentary by Verlaine, his own experience, the encounter with Rimbaud, the poetry, the relationship, the co-dependency? His ultimate achievement, ultimate failure?
5. French poetry, the 19th century, conventional and traditional verse, the introduction of symbolism and modernism? The examples of poetry throughout the film?
6. Verlaine, his age and experience, reputation, his marriage to Matthilde? His relationship with his in-laws, the owner of the house? The unexpected letter from Rimbaud? His admiration for his poetry? The invitation, missing him at the station, passing in the street with the mockery? The surprise at his age? Response to his boorish manners? The beginning of the infatuation, being together, the sexual attraction? Rimbaud's dominance? Verlaine's return to his wife, her pregnancy, his drinking, his brutality to her when drunk, his apologies and getting further drunk? The birth of the child? His absences with Rimbaud, their discussions, the developing sexual relationship? Going backwards and forwards to his wife? His leaving her, going on the trek through the countryside, their sharing nature and poetry? His going back to Matthilde, promising to be with her, leaving the train, poking a face at her? Going to London, the writing, spending the money? Rimbaud brutalising him? His leaving, going to Brussels, sending the letter? The arrest, the condemnation for sodomy, his imprisonment for two years? The later encounter with Rimbaud, in the country, his departing, abandoning Verlaine? Divorced, getting old? The visit of Rimbaud's sister wanting the poetry back, the talk of conversion, explaining his death? Verlaine tearing up the address? A portrait of a genius, artistically gifted, yet, as a human being, brutal and insensitive?
7. Rimbaud and his age, poetry, sense of genius, talking about himself, abandoning the country? Arriving in Paris, his manners at table, his insensitivity to everyone, pilfering from Verlaine's father-in-law and then encountering him? His joyful aspects of his poetry, his depression? The friendship with Verlaine, dominating him, wanting to learn from him? The homosexuality, his dominance? His following Verlaine back, his despising of Matthilde? The in-laws? The trek in the country and the exhilaration? Going back home but going to Verlaine, seeing him with his wife, taking him away again? His writing in the libraries in London, his insulting Verlaine, brutal towards him? His desperation, going to Brussels? Going back home, completing his work? The final break? His going to Africa, his dream of going on and on and its becoming a reality? His research, not writing any poetry, his being a businessman? Ageing, with the people in Africa, heterosexuality? His illness, the return to Marseilles, the amputation of his leg, his sister looking after him, his death? His contribution to poetry?
8. Matthilde, simple, in love with Verlaine, pregnant, brutalised by him, going back to him, finally disappointed and divorcing? Her parents and their support of her?
9. Literary society in the 1870s, Rimbaud and Verlaine going to the poetry reading, Rimbaud and his mockery of the reader, the fights? The literary pretensions of the age? The political background, the communes and the wars, Verlaine's involvement and the police after him?
10. How well did the film recreate the French scene of the 1870s, socially, politically, literary? Moral values? The transition to the 20th century and its changes?
