EL MAR ADENTRO (THE SEA INSIDE)
Spain, 2004, 118 minutes, Colour.
Javier Bardem, Belian Rueda, Lola Duenas.
Directed by Alejandro Amenebar.
Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar is well known for his successful films, Open Your Eyes (remade in the US by Cameron Crowe as Vanilla Sky) and the Nicole Kidman vehicle, The Others.
This time he has written and directed a film based on a true story, an accident in 1968 where a young man dived into a shallow pool, broke his neck and lived for the next twenty-eight years as a quadriplegic. His name was Ramon San Pedro and his autobiography was published along with his poetry.
The film is also a case of special pleading for assisted suicide. It focuses on an association for assisted suicide, its hiring of lawyers to build a case to present to the Spanish courts. However, the application is rejected and assisted suicide remains an offence and those who are involved in any way are considered criminals.
The film boasts an extraordinary performance by Javier Bardem. In his mid-thirties, he is required to act age fifty-five for most of the film, elderly, thinning hair, lying in his bed as a quadriplegic. However, he is able to bring the character to life, show the vitality of the man (despite his continued assertion that he wants to die). There are some flashbacks to the accident as well as a beautiful fantasy sequence where he gets out of bed and flies over the Spanish countryside to the music of “Nessun Dorma”.
The film is classic in its style, beautifully photographed, beautiful location scenery. It is also populated by a gallery of characters who would be at home in a 19th century novel: the victim himself, the middle-class lawyer suffering from a degenerative disease who takes on his case, a Mother Earth type of woman who works at the local cannery, wants to do good, becomes his friend, bringing her children and who, eventually, assists him in his death. He has been cared for for many years by a most patient sister-in-law, a portrait of a good woman, and his older brother who strongly disapproves of his wanting to take his life. There is also the son of the family, still at school, a kind of surrogate son to the quadriplegic. There is also Ramon’s father with whom the young man clashes.
The film highlights a central character from the association for assisted suicide, shows the special pleading, especially in an emotional final phone call. The film comes to a conclusion with the central character taking his life, speaking straight to video explaining what he has done and why.
The film is propaganda for change in legislation, appeals to the emotions of its audience rather than to a detached objective look at moral principles about suicide.
Javier Bardem won the Best Actor award at the 2004 Venice Film Festival.
1.The classic style of the film? At the beginning of the 21st century? Beauty, characters, issues? The content: the issue of assisted suicide, the stance of the film, the special pleading?
2.The colour photography, the opening with the sea, the countryside of Galicia, the interiors of the house, exteriors? The musical score, the range of popular songs, local songs, opera? The flying scene with Nessun Dorma?
3.The issue of assisted suicide, the right of the individual, the right of the state, religious background, philosophical and theological background? Death with dignity? The film based on a true story?
4.The portrait of Ramon, Javier Vadim’s performance, acting fifty-five, the flashbacks to his own age, Ramon in his bed for twenty-eight years? His personality, his sense of life, dignity, his having to be assisted, every detail shown in the film? In himself as a character, his decision to die, his not wanting to endanger others?
5.The flashback to the accident, his life as a sailor, the range of photographs in his travels, his girlfriend, his absent-mindedness, halfway through the dive realising that he was diving into a puddle, the possibility of his drowning, his floating, his life seen before him, memories? His breaking his neck? His being saved and drawn out of the water? The sequence repeated later in the film?
6.The household, the different personalities, the sense of family? The sister-in-law, her patience, contemplation, ever-willingness to serve? Her response to Ramon’s request, leaving it to him? Listening to the priest on the television, his visit, her rebuking him that he had a big mouth? Her reaction to Rosa and her interfering, her own sense of propriety, her rights as regards Ramon, Rosa and friendship, yet a feeling of intrusion? Her husband, hard-working, giving up his life for the vegetable farm, his reiterating that he was the head of the family, Ramon saying that it meant very little? His being the mouthpiece for the voice against assisted suicide? Their father, his presence in the house, work, clashing with Javi, the jobs together? His more passive approach, his love for his sons? Javi, his age, at school, computer work, manual work, Ramon giving him tasks, his love for him, yet thinking he was not learning much at school? Seeing him as a surrogate son, the dedication of the poem to him, Javi taking it utra-literally and not understanding it, the farewell and his finally realising what the poem meant? Almost thirty years of self-sacrifice for this family? Ramon’s treatment of them, his kindness, gratitude? The mutual patience?
7.Gene, the relaxing exercise at the opening, imagining the sea? Her belonging to the association for assisted suicide? Critiques of the laws of Spain? Her visits, her own stances, her inability to help? Introducing Julia, Marco? The friendship with Marco, falling in love with him, having the baby? The visit to Ramon when she was pregnant? The last phone call and the pathos of their conversation? Marco and his devotion to her? His own work, assisting Julia, his presenting the case in the court, its being rejected?
8.Julia, middle-aged woman, her legal background, dignity? Her debilitating illness, at the seashore, going to visit Ramon, their discussions, taking his case, looking through his documents and reading his poetry, looking at the photos, the questions to him, to the various people in the house? Her relationship with her husband and his support? Her own illness, degenerative? The reason for Ramon agreeing for her to take his case? Her love for him, sharing with him, her place in his fantasy and dreams, his love for her? The end, the overtaking of her disease, the loss of memory, the conversation with Gene and her not remembering Ramon?
9.Rosa, working in the canneries, her militancy when the canneries were to be closed? Her children, seeing the television interview with Ramon, bicycling, going to visit him, her initial wanting to do good, insisting that he take an optimistic view of life? His initial antagonism, patient listening to her, disagreeing with her? His being offended? Her leaving, her radio work, playing the music for him, apologising on air, his hearing it? Her continuing to visit, bringing the children, the older boy not believing he was genuine? Her continued help, cooking, coming to the house? The earthy peasant woman and her earth-mother approach? The others feeling she was interfering? The sister-in-law preventing her from visiting? Her finally being the instrument for Ramon and his death, his being taken away in the ambulance, in her house, talking, the poison, looking at the sunset?
10.The courts, the plea, the exposition, the judges and their attitude, rejection?
11.The interview on television, Ramon stating his case, forcibly? The interview with the priest in the wheelchair, his commenting on Ramon’s need for love, comment on the family? Their hostile reaction? His visit to the house, the friar as the go-between, up and down the stairs, the argumentation? Ramon and his anger with the priest? The priest being moralistic and preaching?
12.The lyrical sequences, the flight to Nessun Dorma, the exhilaration of his flying over the landscapes? The discovery of his own poetry, Julia and her wanting it published, her going to Barcelona, arranging it, being at the printing, the first copy, her sending it to him? His happiness to have it? The poem dedicated to Javi?
13.The final tape, his taking the poison, his death? His explanation about life, his own choice, not wanting it necessarily for others, dying with dignity, not involving others?
14.The film as a contribution to the debate about assisted suicide?
