VALLEY OF LOVE
France, 2015, 91 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Huppert, Gerard Depardieu, Dan Warner, Aurelia Thierree.
Directed by Guillaume Nicloux.
Valley of Love is a brief film that features French stars, Isabelle Huppert and Gerard Depardieu, a former husband-and-wife who receive a note from their son who had killed himself, saying that he would meet them again in California’s Death Valley.
They both go to the valley, discuss their past, the mother’s seemingly callous attitude towards her son and neglecting him, the contact with his father, a film star. The mother believes that, despite his death, he will make contact while his father is much more sceptical. Yet, they go to a different spot every day as specified in the message – with the father ultimately having an unusual experience amongst the desert rocks. And then the film ends.
In the final credits, the two stars are referred to solely by their surnames. The director, Guillaume Nicloux worked with Isabella pair on the historical religious film, The Nun.
Audiences will want to watch it only for the stars rather than for the narrative and the supernatural implications.
1. A film of French sensibility in a California setting? French language? Use of English?
2. The title, the visuals of Death Valley, the deserts, the mountain, below sea level, the heat? The beauty of nature? The tourist spots? The contrast with the hotel, the rooms, swimming pools, the streets, supermarkets? The musical score?
3. The two actors – and the credits with only their surnames? Their status?
4. The narrative as real? The touch of the supernatural? The dead man, the letters to his parents, the promise of his appearing? The scepticism on the part of Gerard? The hopes on the part of Isabelle? Gerard’s experience and a sense of the presence of his son at the end? Isabelle’s response? The open ending?
5. Isabelle, the long shot of her arriving, her suitcase, at the hotel, buying the soup in the supermarket, in her room, the heat? The phone calls to her husband? The revelation that they were splitting? Her children?
6. Isabelle meeting Gerard? His coming in, across the lawn to meet her? The relationship between them? The tensions? Going into the past, their marriage, infidelities? Their son, Michael? Isabelle sending him to boarding school, his leaving the family, her not seeing him again? Gerard seeing him, on and off? The letters, the news about his death, a gay man, the issue of whether he had AIDS or not, his partner, his letters and the promise of a reappearance?
7. Isabelle and Gerard, the memories of the past, irritations? Their inquiring about each other’s lives, families? The bonds between them? The night together and the response of each afterwards?
8. The reading of the letters, Gerard and his disbelief, the revelation of his cancer, the appointment with the doctor? His feeling well? Yet his size, and the scenes of his torso and belly? The contrast with Isabelle, her glamour in her 60s?
9. Going to the variety of spots, the heat, walking, the food? The discussions? The return home each evening?
10. Gerard, at the pool, the American recognising him, the discussions, the autograph, his signing Bob De Niro, the reaction of the man, later meeting Gerard and Isabelle, their having a meal together, the discussions, about Al Pacino and the Godfather? The man offering to send Gerard his story? The wife and her enjoying the discussion, about films in Hollywood?
11. The issue of wounds, Gerard and his razor and his wrist, Isabelle helping him, bandaging? Isabelle and her nightmare, being grabbed by the ankles, the wounds? Her walking with them, the later marks on her legs?
12. The final visit, Isabelle waiting, Gerard going for the walk, the glimpse of someone amongst the rocks, his impressions, Isabelle’s response? And the ending of the film?
