MARIE-JO AND HER TWO LOVES

France, 2002, 124 minutes, Colour.
Ariane Ascaride, Jean- Pierre Darroussin,
Gerard Meylan.
Directed by Robert Guediguian.

If you cannot visit Marseilles, then the films of Robert Guediguian are the next best thing. You know you have been there, in the working-class suburbs, on the roads, looking at the vistas from homes, from cars, on the harbour. And you get to know the people quite deeply. Marie-Jo? is a loving wife to Daniel and he is the best of husbands, dependable and sensitive. Their daughter, Julie, goes to study law and is in a loving relationship with Sylvain. Marie-Jo?, however, falls in love with harbour pilot, Marco, and cannot live without him. It is true that she can love both men, but the two men and Julie suffer the consequences of her choices. Guediguian and his regular cast, including his gifted wife, Ariane Ascaride, bring these characters to life and involve us profoundly in their emotional and moral dilemmas.

1. The humanity of this film? Guediguian and his feel for characters, for emotional crises in relationships? His familiarity with the working suburbs of Marseilles, the visual and atmospheric sense of the city? A Marseilles story?

2. The use of the city, the buildings, the streets, the tunnels? Vistas from windows? The bay, the water? The countryside? The musical score and range of songs, especially those of Louis Armstrong, "Tenderly", "Summertime" and "What a Wonderful World"?

3. The quotation from Dante to open the film, the focus on mid-life, people searching, the unknown destinations towards which they are moving?

4. The title, the summary of the themes? The focus on Marie-Jo? and the two men as seen by her?

5. The opening, Marie-Jo? and the knife, her daughter looking for her, the family picnic, the return home, the honking the horn in the tunnel (as a sign of good luck and a family tradition)? At home, the wonderful relationship between husband and wife, his consideration and charm, support, her tenderness and love for him? At home, the sexual relationship, the sensuality, in the bedroom, at meals? Daniel and his work? Marie-Jo? and her decision to give her time to driving patients to and from hospital? Their love for their daughter? The seemingly perfect family?

6. The audience knowing about Marco before Daniel did? Audience surprise at Marie-Jo's relationship with Marco? The character of Marco himself: alone, never having been in love, pilot for the boats coming into Marseilles and out, his relationship with the crews, the captains, seeing him at work? His friendly relationship and discussions with his landlady? The visits of Marie-Jo?, the sexuality, the sensuality, the companionship? The continued phone calls?

7. Marie-Jo? and the effect of loving two men? The reality of being able to love two men intensely? Her tenderness at home, not wanting to tell Daniel the truth - almost telling him? Her tenderness towards Marco? Feeling that she needed both men in her life? Seeing her in her normal life, doing the accounts and quotes at home? Going to the centre, driving the old alcoholic and discussing things with him, the woman in the brace, the other woman who sang and gave Marie-Jo? the occasion to shout?

8. Daniel and his work, helping the young men in training, their turning against him? The pain for him having thought that they were being exploited and doing his best for them?

9. Daniel and the rainy day, seeing Marie-Jo? from the other side of the street? His disbelief? Waiting for her to tell him? His suspicions, wanting to follow her, unable to follow? The impact of her telling him the truth? His trying to cope?

10. Julie, her love for her mother and father, at home, studies? Her relationship with Sylvain? Their both studying, Sylvain failing the exam, Julie going to the university? Yet their being together as a loving couple? Sharing the home life with Daniel and Marie-Jo?, the visits, the meals? Picking up the wardrobe?

11. Julie and her outburst against her mother, defending her father when she knew the truth? Her bitterness and inability to speak to her mother? Her not forgiving her? Sylvain trying to be more tolerant?

12. Marie-Jo? and her walking out, telling Daniel she couldn't live without Marco, moving in, the lyrical happiness? Going shopping together - and Daniel seeing them? Marco's absence, her going to the party, discussing her relationship with the landlady? Her deciding that she had to go home, ringing the bell, asking forgiveness? Daniel receiving her? Julie's reaction? The time passing and Daniel realising that he couldn't share his wife with anyone else, that he needed her sole love?

13. Her going to work, Marco being her patient, her spending the afternoon with him, the return home and telling the truth to Daniel?

14. His gift of the boat, their delight in sailing in it? His going out with her, hitting his head and falling into the water, her decision to save him, her inability to save him, the hands clasped together as they died? Being found like this?

15. Julie and Sylvain collecting the clothes and the things that belonged to their parents? The final scenes of the water?

16. Audiences believing the psychology of Marie-Jo? and her relationship with the two men? Yet the consequences for the others concerned, her being able to cope and yet not cope, the men unable to cope, Julie unable to cope? Daniel trying to do something for the situation? Marco not realising that any self-sacrifice was required? Marie-Jo's final choice?