A BIGGER SPLASH
Italy/France, 2015, 124 minutes, Colour.
Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Dakota Johnson, Aurore Clement, Lily Mc Menamy, Corrado Guzzanti.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
David Hockney created a celebrated painting called A Bigger Splash. It showed a group of men sunbathing. The biggest splashes in this drama are not as tranquil as sunbathing.
The film has received quite some praise as being a character study, a portrait of four individuals, from a show business and media background, a tangle of past and present relationships, wealthy, enjoying – but, ultimately, that is not the right word – a holiday on a rather arid Sicilian island. At just over two hours, the film immerses the audience in the lives of these characters and in the atmosphere of the island.
The question for the audience is how interesting are the characters, can we identify with them, or are they and their crises rather remote from our ordinary experiences? For this reviewer, they were not all that very interesting.
And, who are they?
The central character is Marianne, a former pop star, glimpsed standing on stage in an auditorium, seen in a studio recording, moments of tension in her dressing room. But now, she is recuperating from surgery on her throat, a question of whether she will be able to sing again. She is played by Tilda Swinton, a touch of the tour-to-force because of the surgery making it impossible for Marianne to speak. She has to mime. She has to whisper. With her is her companion, Paul (Matthias Schoenaerts), a technician, a photographer, who has had a suicidal experience because of his drinking but is now more tranquil in the company of Marianne.
Into their rather quiet companionship bursts Marianne’s former producer, Harry, an exuberant, over-exuberant, Ralph Fiennes. Talking incessantly, buoyantly laughing, he takes over, much to the couple’s apprehension. And, he brings with him, a newly found daughter, Penny, Dakota Johnson. the piece de resistance is Fiennes entering into the spirit, energetically dancing to The Rolling Stones.
The rest of the action takes place over two days, with some flashbacks for Marianne remembering her relationship with Harry, Harry remembering his introducing Paul to Marianne. The daughter is rather quiet, not particularly taking well to the new company, but, Lolita-like, she sets her cap at Paul. Dakota Johnson looks rather like a young Sharon Stone Reminding audiences of Stone’s earlier films.
The director made an impact with his drama, I am Love, also starring Tilda Swinton.
Tensions in the relationship, literal struggles and quite a surprising outcome.
1. The title? Application of the painting by David Hockney? The range of water, splashes, the final climax in the water, the pool?
2. Sicily, the island, the coast and terrain, the house and interiors, restaurant, the town and shops, swimming pools, natural pools?
3. The music context, the range of songs, performance, the Rolling Stones, the auditorium, Marianne, the recording, Harry and his dancing to the Rolling Stones?
4. A character study, performances, drama? How interesting the characters and their problems?
5. Marianne, the focus, Tilda Swinton’s presence, age, the experience of surgery, and not being able to speak, her miming, whispering, the ultimate screaming and the danger to her voice? Credibility of her past as a pop star, on stage, performance, the dressing rooms and her behaviour, in the studio, in the recording, relationships? The years with Harry, producer, breaking with him? His introducing Paul, the six years with Paul, the quality of their relationship, the sexual experiences, the holiday, the house, Marianne’s friends away? At the beach, news of the arrival, hurrying to the airport? The apprehension about Harry’s visit?
6. Paul, Belgian background, technician, photography, working with Harry, the studio, meeting Marianne, six years with her? His breakdown, alcohol, suicide attempt, the note, rehabilitation? His caring for Marianne, her caring for him? His reaction to Harry’s arrival, at the airport?
7. Ralph Fiennes as Harry, extreme extrovert, always talking, exuberant, gestures and manner, his bringing Penelope, his discovering his daughter, her questions about his paternity and the thought of DNA paternity checking? His exuberance, in the car, getting into the restaurant, meeting friends, presuming on his reputation and charm? The police chief giving up the table for Marianne’s sake? Clothes, swimming, naked, uninhibited, his relationship with Marianne and the flashbacks to the past, relationship with Paul, the flashbacks, to Penny? Inviting the visitors, cooking the fish, the meal, the songs, his vigorous dancing to the Rolling Stones? Dancing with Sylvie? Going to the feast in the town, the people, the religious procession, enjoyment? At home, going shopping with Marianne, the return, the others absent, the sexual encounter, her saying that he should leave? The meal, concern about Penny? Going to swim, planning to leave?
8. Marianne, sometimes tense, her throat and the surgery, recuperation? Yet enjoying the conversation, the outings? Her memories? The meals, the feast, dressing for going out? The shopping? The sexual encounter with Harry? The break? Cooking, the meal?
9. Paul, tense, his behaviour, following to the feast, photographs? With Marianne, Penny and her Lolita behaviour, the walk, seeing her naked? The audience not seeing any sexual encounter? The aftermath and behaviour? Penny at the meal, leaving?
10. Penny, her story, College break, her age, Connecticut, her mother, like Lolita, seductive, her dislike of Marianne, the relationship with her father and their
interactions, the music? Her reaction to Paul, the meals, the feast, leaving, seductive on the walk, naked, the pool? Leaving?
11. Paul and Harry, the clash, the swimming pool, the fight, Paul overcoming and killing Harry?
12. The staff, the cooking? The maid discovering the body? Marianne and her reaction, Paul and his cover-up, Penny and her reaction, the police arriving, the police chief, the body in the pool, the crime scene? Inviting them to the station, the interviews? The glimpse of the foreigners, the confrontation with Paul and Penny, their being sub suspects in murder?
13. Penny, able to speak Italian, younger age, leaving, the airport, Marianne slapping her, her looking back from the plane after walking in the rain?
14. Paul and Marianne together, Paul tense, in the car, concealing the truth, the pursuit by the police, his fear, the discussions about the autograph and Marianne giving it? Driving into their future?
15. The human drama, relationship and hurts? And the surprise of the death at the end?
