LE TEMPS RETROUVE/ TIME REGAINED
France, 1999, 158 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Beart, Vincent Perez, John Malkovich, Pascal Greggory, Marcello Mazzarella, Marie- France Pisier, Chiara Mastroianni, Arielle Dombasle, Edith Scob, Elsa Zylberstein, Christian Vadim, Melvil Poupaud.
Directed by Raoul Ruiz.
Le Temps Retrouve is based on the works of Marcel Proust. All commentators agree that it is practically impossible to translate the memoirs and states of mind in Proust’s novels to the screen. However, distinguished Chilean director, Raoul Ruiz, has a strong reputation for bringing literary works to the screen and has adapted parts of Proust’s story.
Clearly, this is not a film for Proust purists. However, for those interested in getting to know something of Proust, his characters, his style, the film is welcome.
The film has a very powerful cast of principally French actors. Marcello Mazzarella plays Proust himself. The focus is on John Malkovich as the Baron de Charlus, and his relationships, especially with Emmanuelle Beart, Catherine Deneuve, Marie- France Pisier and Chiara Mastroianni.
The film goes back to France in the 1890s, the Belle Epoque. The film recreates the atmosphere in design, sets, costumes and decor.
The film is particularly French in its style, the focus on characters, interactions, relationships.
Volker Schlondorff made a version of part of Proust’s memories with Swann in Love during the 1980s. It starred Jeremy Irons and Ornella Muti.
1. The status of Marcel Proust? His literature? Cinema adaptations?
2. Proust and words? His use of images? Transferring to the screen? The use of music?
3. The characters on the page, actors and their interpretation?
4. Consciousness, shifts of consciousness, memories? The role of memories? The editing? Forgetting, memory regained, refound?
5. The title? Its relationship to Proust’s writing?
6. Proust and his death, Celeste and her faithfulness? The detail? His dictating? The milk, the voice, the photos? The comment?
7. Proust in himself, observing people and life, the role of gossip, the dilettante? Illness, chronicling? An interpreter of the times? Moral perspective? Non-moral?
8. The family, close, the closed circle? The discoveries, the human comedy?
9. The structure: time shifts, the role of imagination, characters and their faces?
10. 1914-1920? The experience of World War One? France and the desire for glory? France defending itself? Spies? The trenches? Violence? Heroism? Loyalty?
11. The contrast with Proust as a boy, his relationship with his parents? Odette, Gilberte and the sexual relationship? Charlus? His uncle and Odette? Robert? The adolescent and Charlus? Observations?
12. Odette, her characters, relationships? Gilberte? Social? Friendship, how she was regarded? The deaths? The prince and the prisoner?
13. Gilberte as a girl, talking to Marcel? The place of Robert? Marriage? Brittle? Death and the aftermath and how it was interpreted?
14. Rachel, the recitation?
15. The theatre, mistresses?
16. Society, the hostesses, the concerts and the salons?
17. Robert, Gilberte? The mistresses? The talk about death and heroism? The men? The brothel? Eating and talking? Dying and the effect on Marcel?
18. Charlus, his character, eccentricities, giggle, homosexuality, effete? The whipping? Payment? Love, decay?
19. Charlus, friendship, the deserter? The later snobbery? Marcel and the writing?
20. Jewish background, the changing of a name? The prince reacting to the writing? The wife and the United States?
21. The character of the aunts? Their place in the family?
22. The meaning of life and relationships, wealth, position, manners? The portrait of a past era, pro and con?
