THE ODYSSEY
France, 2016, 122 minutes, Colour.
Lambert Wilson, Pierre Niney, Audrey Tautou, Laurent Lucas, Benjamin Lavernhe, Vincent Heneine.
Directed by Jerome Salle.
Jacques Cousteau was a celebrated name in French 20th century culture. He pioneered a great deal of undersea exploration, especially in filming it. His film, The Silent World, won the Golden Palm in Cannes 1955. He made other films but, especially, documentaries for American television. Later in his life, he fostered environmental causes.
This film is a portrait – and not always a sympathetic one even though Cousteau is admired in the work that he did. Injured in a car accident, he devoted himself to swimming, working with some colleagues to develop aqualungs and Scuba diving.
The film opens in 1949 with Cousteau and his children, moving through his work in the 1950s, especially with the financial help of his wife in buying a boat and renovating it. However, it was so absorbed in his work that there was some alienation from his wife and he was a philanderer. She, however, because of the financing of the boat, considered it her home and lived there.
The film also focuses on one of his sons, Philippe, who also became involved in the filmmaking even though he had a like-dislike relationship with his father. The film opens with Philippe crashing into the sea and then returns to that accident at the end of the film, causing great grief to Cousteau himself – but he persevered with his work.
The film is enhanced, of course, by a great deal of undersea filming.
Lambert Wilson gives strong performances Cousteau, Audrey Tautou is his wife, Pierre Niney is Philippe.
1. The title? Memories of Odysseus’s wanderings over the sea? Licking this with the life and adventures of Jacques Cousteau?
2. Audience knowledge of Cousteau, his career, opening up of the oceans, life under the sea? Media, films and television programs?
3. The opening, Philippe and his piloting, the crash? The resumption of this the end, grief of Cousteau? Yet his persevering in his Odyssey?
4. The sea, the variety of locations around the world, the different oceans, the underwater photography, seeing the swimmers, the aqualung is, the cameras, exhilaration, the dangers? Cousteau and his wife, children? His teams? The impact of the underwater photography and opening up this silent world?
5. Cousteau, the accident, the scar and his shoulder? Moving underwater, his being called Captain? With his children on holidays? The relationship with his wife? Involving the children, their growing up, collaborating with him, clashes with him, sometimes wishing that had another father? His relationship with Simon, his infidelities, her response, staying with him and the ship?
6. The buying of the boat, Simone and her jewels, the reconditioning of the boat? The volunteers working assembling his crew, the inventions for breathing underwater, cameras? The success of his film, The Silent World, winner at Cannes, the Oscar? Further filming, the deals with the Americans and the meetings, promotion, television series?
7. The year is passing, the use of the Calypso, it being a home for Simone? The boys growing up? One son planning underwater habitation? Philippe, memories of the past, his father involving him in his work, the ups and downs of the relationship, business, his filming, directing, finally going with him to Antarctica?
8. The range of destinations, the world is opened up, sea life, fish, whales, sharks?
9. Cousteau and his personal life, his relationship with his wife, the range of women in his life? Simone, her character, making the boat her home? Her relationship with the children? With the members of the crew? The news of Philippe’s death?
10. Cousteau’s changing perspective, support from oil companies, undersea prospecting? His moving towards environmental issues? Later awards and his reputation, foundations?
11. Finance, his ambitions, hopes, his wife’s jewels, paying crew from his own money, the discussions with the American television producers?
12. His complete absorption in his work, his ambitions, his achievements?
