MADAME BOVARY

US, 1949, 114 minutes, Black and white.
Jennifer Jones, Van Heflin, James Mason, Louis Jourdan, Christopher Kent, Gene Lockhart, Gladys Cooper, John
Abbott, George Zucco.
Directed by Vincente Minnelli.

Madame Bovary is a sumptuous M.G.M. presentation of Gustav Flaubert's novel (as well as a court case trying him for indecency in his writing). The novel's essence is presented but given the framework of moralising by the court case. The production was directed by Vincente Minnelli, who made many musicals including Meet Me In St. Louis and many melodramas. There is an excellent cast with Jennifer Jones attractive, Van Heflin effective as her dull husband. There is an effective performance by Swedish director Alf Kjellin (who was renamed Christopher Kent for this film). There is an excellent M.G.M. supporting cast. This 19th. century material is very reminiscent of such novels as Tolstoy's Anna Karenina.

1. The status of Flaubert's novel? In its day? Criticisms about its morals? Stances of 19th. century authors in terms of psychological understanding, freedom of expression, portrayal of the truth?

2. The prologue about Flaubert's trial? Its style? The attack on the author, eliciting audience sympathies, eliciting audience views?' The device of introducing the author himself, his trial? His telling the story ? inviting us to watch Madame Bovary, distancing us from complete involvement by his voiceover commentary? The end and his vindication? The portrait of Flaubert by James Mason?

3. The structure of the film: the effect of the Flaubert framework, the selection of episodes, the presentation of Emma Bovary's situations. the moralising voiceover? The focus on the characters in the light of Flaubert's views?

4. M.G.M. production values? Black and white photography. period settings, decor? The abilities of the director? The cast? Miklos Rosza and his epic style score? Camera techniques e.g. the movement at the ball sequence?

5. The impact of 19th. century classic novels: portraits of society. written in times prior to psychological vocabulary? Insight into psychology? Using rounded characters as well as stereotypes, patterns of behaviour. presentation of traditions and the breaking of traditions. moral expectations and taboos? The severity of moral judgment in public? Nineteenth century hypocrisies? The contrast with alleged 20th. century freedoms?

6. Emma's situation: life in the countryside of France. the 19th. century isolation, lack of communication? Life on the farm? Emma and her father? Her attraction towards any man, throwing herself at Charles e.g. the dress, talk at breakfast? The flashbacks for Emma and her past: boarding school. the strict regime of the nuns, the surreptitious reading of novels, popular love songs filling her imagination? Flaubert's comment on Emma and her romantic and unreal view of the world? Her inability to accept the humdrum and to be at ease with ordinary life? His blaming of society for these romantic attitudes?

7. Charles' planning at the house, proposal? The wedding and Emma's gentility contrasting with the coarseness of the French people? The escape from the party? The home? Leon and his helping with the beautifying of the house? Emma's hope that the house would be beautiful and the irony of her saying this at the end? The prospects for a successful marriage?

8. Flaubert's comments on Charles Bovary and his ordinariness? As a doctor, his love for Emma, supporting her? Spoiling her with money and her whims? The party and his thinking it a success. her distress? His coping with Emma? The birth of the daughter? The disappointment for Emma? The invitation to the ball, his being out of place. drinking, making a scene? His continuing about his work and ignoring Emma's affairs? His being victim of her vivacity? His continued love? Her leaving and his forgiving her, the illness, the opera? His father's death? His helping Emma die? His continued devotion? The daughter and her crying at Emma's presence? Her final laughter? The final wandering of father and daughter? The best aspects of human loving?

9. Emma and her love for Charles? An escape from the farm? Her knowing that he loved her? Indications that the marriage would break, her beauty, dress, extravagance, having to have everything, borrowing money? Her upset at the boring party and with Leon's recitation? Her wanting a child and disappointment with having a girl? Her feeling that girls were doomed to be imprisoned by society? The ball and the infatuation with Rudolf? Her being the belle of the ball? The exhilaration of the dances? The attention? The encounter with Leon and the possibility of an affair but her rejecting it? Leon's mother lecturing her? The infatuation with Rudolf after the chance encounters, riding, spending so much time? Planning to go away? The gossip in the town? Her borrowing money and becoming a slave to debt? The impact of her being abandoned and the coach going past? her illness? The visit to the opera, meting Leon again? His pretending ~ and their affair? The debts and the pressure of the collector? Legal manoeuvring, the week with Leon, the truth about the estate? Leon telling the truth and her accepting it? Rudolf and her humiliation of herself ? and his refusing to give her the money? The taking of the poison ? her death? A victim of society, a victim of her impulses? Beloved by husband and daughter? The varying reactions of the people in her life and the way these were shown? How evil a woman was Emma? In the6ry, in practice?

10. The sketch of Leon and his work as a lawyer, buying the house. wanting a liaison with Emma, under his mother's influence, his lack of success in Paris, his pretending, the affair., the truth? Rudolf as the wealthy man not wanting to be committed, the dances and the riding, the glamour of the talking, his promises, his fear of Emma. his final refusal to help her?

11. The moneylender and his sinister presence, persuasiveness, the consequences of his hold over her ? the visits to her house, mortgaging her house, demanding his debts?

12. The picture of the town - 9 o'clock on an ordinary day? Life in the provinces and its boredom and humdrum? The attraction of Rouen? People, shops, daily business? Rouen and the hotels, cafes, the opera?

13. A picture of 19th. century life? Its impact in the '40s, now? Themes of human nature, standards, and Emma's being blessed by the Church, at her death? The importance of writers like Flaubert breaking through in portraying human nature and its good and evil?