THREE COLOURS: RED

Switzerland/Poland, 1994, 99 minutes, Colour.
Irene Jacob, Jean- Louis Trintignant, Jean- Pierre Lorit.
Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski.

Three Colours: Red is the conclusion of Kieslowski’s trilogy, Blue, White and Red. Blue was impressive in its portrait of a grieving woman isolating herself but taking refuge in music. White had a different tone, a touch of satire about French and Polish business. In Red, there is a serenity as a young model and student, played luminously by Irene Jacob, encounters a cynical retired judge who eavesdrops on phone lines, sitting alone and being bitter. When the model runs over the judge’s dog by accident and visits him, she is repelled by his personality as well as by what he is doing. However, a sympathetic bond grows between them. In the meantime, the model’s boyfriend in London is continually ringing her, interrogating her, but carrying on with another woman behind her back.

Red pervades the film in its decor, costumes as well as the shading of the photography. The model is portrayed in red as she is photographed for an advertisement, a huge hoarding in the streets of Geneva. The film also shows a display of modelling – and the judge comes out of his solitude in order to be present. The influence of the model is strong, the judge going to the police and reporting himself for what he has done in listening in to people’s conversations. Another subtheme is the story of a judge, a young man living near the model, whose encounters with a fickle woman are parallel to the story the judge tells about his own love and betrayal in the past.

The model decides to go to London, there is a storm on the English Channel and the ferry is capsized. Only seven survivors. Kieslowski brings his trilogy to a conclusion because Juliette Binoche from Three Colours: Blue is amongst the survivors, as are the three protagonists of Three Colours: White. The model also survives – to the happiness of the judge who has found some kind of self-confidence as well as repentance and redemption.

Irene Jacob had appeared in Kieslowski’s Double Life of Veronique, the story of two women who resemble each other, one in Poland, one in France – with the theme of redemption and salvation again.

Sadly, Kieslowski was to die after making Three Colours: Red, at the age of fifty-four. He left several screenplays, one, Heaven, was filmed by Tom Tykwer with Cate Blanchett. Another, Hell, was filmed by Danis Tanovic with Emmanuelle Beart. With the trilogy as well as his Decalogue series, Krzysztof Kieslowski emerged as one of the great directors of the 20th century.

1. The film as an achievement in itself? Considered a masterpiece? As a culmination of the trilogy? The significance of the trilogy in 20th century film-making, insights into human nature, compassion?

2. The director and his exploration of relationships, identity, looking forward in hope, looking back with regret, healing and redemption, integrity?

3. The title, the pervasiveness of red, as a colour, tone? Clothes and decor? The billboard? The red feeling and warmth?

4. The communication theme, the credits, the focus on the phone, travelling with the cables, over land, under water, on land for phone connections? Phone contact and talking? Listening in to phone calls? The consequences? For the judge, for Valentine?

5. Valentine’s story? The presence and beauty of Irene Jacob? Described as radiant? Model, student, her apartment, her life? Her relationship with Michael, his phone calls from London, his suspicious nature, his interrogations, asking where she was, not using the answering machine? The revelation of his fickleness? Valentine and her job, her posing for the chewing gum commercial, the photo session? The beauty of the photos? Her choosing the photograph for the display? On the road, the dog, her hitting it, getting out, taking it to the car? Finding the address? Going to the judge, his harsh reaction? His lack of interest? Her going to the vet, the dog revealed as pregnant? Later seeing the litter? Going home? Her activities, her decision to return to the judge? To give the dog back? Hearing the voices from the phones, listening, her reaction?

6. Her interaction with the judge, his attitude, his bitterness, his age? His dreams, the memories of betrayal, visualised? His story of the sailor and his condemning him in the court? The story of his wife, the lover, her death, the lover coming back, the financial mismanagement, in the court, his condemning him – legally? His retiring? His decision to listen, to the stories, his bitterness? The effect of talking with Valentine? A softening of his heart, his attitude? His response to her goodness? His handing himself in to the police?

7. Valentine and her reactions? The story of her neighbour, the young judge, his work, his relationship, his discovery of the betrayal of his partner? The parallel with the story of the judge? The young judge and his being on the boat at the end?

8. The character of Michel, possessive, the phone calls, his betrayal of Valentine?

9. Valentine, the modelling session? The invitation to the judge? Their talking in the theatre – and the man trying to close the theatre, the cleaner? The judge and his coming out of his shell, out of his home, the response to Valentine?

10. Valentine, going to England, the ticket? Farewell to the judge?

11. The storms, the rain over the lake of Geneva, over Europe? The ferry, the passengers getting on, the audience left to imagine the storm and the capsizing of the ferry?

12. The television, the judge watching the images of the disaster? His hope for Valentine?

13. The number dead, the capsized ferry images, the lifeboat – and the survivors? The characters from Three Colours: Blue and Three Colours: White? Valentine and her survival? The joy of the judge? The film ending in hope?

14. The overall effect of this film – and its place within the trilogy?