UN COEUR SIMPLE (A SIMPLE HEART)
France, 2008,
Sandrine Bonnaire, Marina Fois.
Directed by Marion Laine.
For those, like this reviewer, who are not as familiar with 19th century French literature, it might come as a surprise to find that the novel on which this film is based was written by Gustave Flaubert, author of that critique of middle class morality and values, Madame Bovary. A Simple Heart was written twenty years after his classic novel.
This film could be called a French heritage drama. It takes its audience and immerses it in rural France with its contradictions and contrasts: the world of the wealthy and their aristocratic pretensions and the world of the servants and farmers whose existence is taken for granted to be at the disposal of the wealthy. These strata of society are taken for granted – and somewhat reinforced by the Church. While the 19th century saw the aftermath of the French Revolution and the dechristianising of the nation as well as draconian anti-clerical legislation even into the 20th century, it was also a period of extraordinary Catholic vitality in attempts at mission in France, in the founding of so many religious orders who set out to foreign missions, the phenomenon of Lourdes, a flowering of intellectual and spiritual culture. Both of these aspects of Church life are suggested during this film. (And Felicite shows us how we might understand the goodness of St Bernadette.)
A Simple Heart is a story of goodness – one could see Felicite in the classic tradition of the 'Holy Fool'.
Sandrine Bonnaire is completely convincing as Felicite (an ironic name in itself), a peasant girl who is mentally simple. Caught up in a love which might have led to marriage, her ignorance of sexuality and sensuality lead to her being jilted. Seeking a job with a family, she spends the rest of her life as their servant. Her life with the family serves as a microcosm of France at the time.
The screenplay contrasts the personalities of the two women at its centre, Felicite and the widow, Mathilde (Marina Fois), who employs her. Mathilde is a grim young woman, closed in by her grief for her husband, distant, even harsh, with her two children. While Felicite cares for the children, especially the little daughter with delicate health, play and singing are forbidden. However, it emerges that Felicite is a good and loving young woman and brings light and life in her wake.
Much of the film shows the small details of life in the household and on the farm, with excursions to the sea. The action takes place over a period of ten years and involves the devotion of the daughter to Felicite, Felicite's discovery of a sister she thought dead and her caring for her nephew. Despite the hard work and the frequent drudgery in her life, Felicite accepts her lot and is happy. The gift of a brightly coloured parrot brings extraordinary joy to her.
The widow remains strict, is courted by a cello teacher but is too timid to accept his love. Relationships with her children are strained. However, Felicite's loyalty and goodheartedness do ultimately touch the widow.
Winner of the Ecumenical Jury award in Kiev 2008, with the citation praising the film's thoughtful adaptation of Flaubert's novel, its refined sentiment and its austere beauty. It was suggested that there is also a parallel between Felicite's holy fool and Job, that, in her lifelong sacrifices, she could be seen as Job's daughter.
1.The writing of Gustav Flaubert? Classic, French, 19th century? Perspectives on society, rural life? Morality, religion?
2.The adaptation of a classic novel to a drama, the focus on character and situations, for the screen? The feminine perspective?
3.The title, the focus, on Felicite (and the meaning of her name, happiness)?
4.The 19th century countryside, the farms and mansions, the village life, the convents and schools, the church? The fields, the sea and the beaches? The musical score? An experience of the 19th century?
5.Felicite, a portrait of goodness, of simplicity, of the heart? The idiot savant? The traditional Holy Fool?
6.The opening and Felicite running through the forest, the search, wanting Theo? Her memories and the flashback? The dance, her awkwardness? Introduction to Theo, liking him, dancing with him, the kiss, in love, the marriage proposal, the honeymoon by the sea? The sexual encounter, her sensuality, his disappointment? His leaving, sending his friend, Felicite fighting with him? His military service, the widow buying out his service, his marriage? Felicite’s continued memories of Theo, seeing him working in the garden of his mansion, mentioning him in her prayer in the church, her delirium?
7.Travelling the countryside, going to the house, asking Mathilde for the job, her whole life in this house and with this family?
8.The contrast with Mathilde, the widow, memories of her husband, her sternness, her severity with her children? Allocating the jobs, not going into the kitchen, not allowing Felicite to play with Clemence? Not allowed to sing? Her severity and supervision? Humourless? Yet her sociability at cards, with her guests, cheating, laughing? Her relationship with Frederic, his teaching Paul to play the cello, at cards, his devotion to her?
9.Paul and Clemence, Paul and his aloofness, the mother’s boy? Clemence and her age, devoted to Felicite, playing, singing, calling her Nan? Depending on Felicite, the mutual love? Felicite and her putting on the children’s clothes, Clemence and her illness, going to the sea, playing in the water, on the beach and the embrace, Mathilde’s severity? The years passing?
10.Felicite and her background, limited, focusing on the present, never bored, doing her chores, loving the children, having the one dress (but changing into black after Clemence’s death)? Her wonder in seeing the sea? The bull and her saving the family, injuring her ankle, Mathilde’s spurning of the injury, her having to carry the children up the stairs? Mathilde’s moods, returning home from the sea? Felicite and the postman, rousing on him, his jokes in the kitchen? The farmer, the work, liking Felicite, the proposal? Mathilde and her severity with the gardener? Her hitting Felicite, Felicite packing, Mathilde’s pleading for her to stay for Clemence?
11.The discovery of her sister, on the beach, assumed dead? The visit, her sister bringing Victor, their memories, Felicite feeding Victor, paying for the meals? The bond with Victor, Victor playing with Clemence, Paul sternly watching? The years passing, Victor growing up, the Sunday visits, the meals, his gift of the brooch and Felicite’s delight? Enlisting, sailing that night, Felicite’s upset? No news, the letter from Havana, Victor’s death from typhoid? Mathilde and her aloofness about Victor’s death? No comparison with not getting a letter from Clemence at school?
12.Clemence going to school, the nuns, her weeping, seeing the school as a prison? Coming home, her sullenness at meals? Singing when alone? Paul, drinking, flirtatious with Felicite? Mathilde and her alienation from her children?
13.Frederic, the cello with Paul? Mathilde taking lessons, the passion, the amorous exchange? His leaving for Rouen, and Mathilde not wanting to leave?
14.Clemence, at school, her death, the two women going to see her, Mathilde wanting Felicite to do the laying out, Felicite’s devotion?
15.The priest, the catechism class, St Francis and the birds, the bird flying to the roof of the church with the prayer, Felicite’s wish, her delight in the church? The later mass, his sermon about lust and passion, Felicite and her deafness, praying her personal prayer aloud, hurrying from the church? The death of the bird and her not wanting to go to church again?
16.The gift of the parrot, her love for the bird, the postman and his teaching the bird to swear, her seeing the bird as a treasure? Its being lost, her delight in its return? Her grief at its death, the cold? Having it stuffed? At the end at her death?
17.The farmer, his work, the proposal, Mathilde’s severity in her refusal?
18.Felicite, ageless, growing in love, humble, doing good, religious or not? Mathilde’s collapse, Felicite’s care for her? The strong embrace between the two and the mellowing of Mathilde?
19.Felicite’s collapse, her sadness, wanting to dress as the virgin and go in the procession? Mathilde and her care for her, attending her death? A simple heart and a life achievement of good?
