COEURS (PRIVATE FEARS IN PUBLIC PLACES)
France, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Sabine Azema, Lambert Wilson, Andre Dussollier, Pierre Arditi, Laura Morante, Claude Rich.
Directed by Alain Resnais
This is a film written and directed Alain Resnais. It is based on a very British play by Alan Ayckbourn. Resnais had directed another of Ayckbourn’s plays, Smoking and No Smoking, in 1997.
Looking at Resnais’ career from 1955 to 2006, one sees a very interesting trajectory of a film-maker who is one of France’s national treasures. He began very seriously in the 1950s with his short film about the concentration camps, Night and Fog. Then he made Hiroshima Mon Amour, a striking film of the French New Wave, commenting on French society – as well as coming to terms with some of the issues of the war with Japan. These themes continued in the mid-60s with The War is Over and Far From Vietnam. During the 1970s his films became more national and political: Stavisky, Providence, My American Uncle. By the 1980s, he had mellowed and was telling more humane stories, a touch romantic, with music: Life is a Bed of Roses. This preoccupation with theatre and music continued in the 1990s with Smoking and No Smoking, Same Old Song and his 2003 version of a 1920s operetta, Not On The Lips.
These later films of Resnais are an acquired taste. European film buffs appreciated their lyricism and delicacy. Others, harking back to the intensity of his serious films, have found that his later films seem to be very light, even superficial. However, he won the director’s award at the Venice film festival, 2006, and elicited strong performances from his ensemble cast. It is interesting to note how Ayckbourn’s sharp dialogue does not cross the channel so well – but rather, becomes typical French relationship comedy.
1.The French style of portraits, dialogue, relationships, characters?
2.The film based on an Alan Ayckborn play (and the poster for Ayckborn’s Scarborough)? The basis of a play, the reliance on dialogue, enclosed scenes and sets? The opening out of the play? Across the English Channel? The play being made Gallic?
3.The city, the apartments, affluent suburbs, homes and apartments, bars and clubs, the offices? An authentic atmosphere?
4.The work of Alain Resnais, his groundbreaking films of the 50s and 60s? The 90s onwards and his focusing on this kind of intimate personal drama, comedy? The niche audience? Interest? Lack of interest?
5.The six characters, their interconnections? The strong cast?
6.The apartment, Nicole and her discussions with Thierry, the false brochure, the small apartment, the rooms? Her impatience? Waiting for Dan to come? Her wanting another apartment? Her demands on Thierry? The transition to Dan, in the bar, his drinking? His military career, his mistake, his being dismissed? His reliance on Lionel at the bar, having the same drink, talking? Getting more drunk? Meeting Nicole, her demands on him? His excuses? His going to see the apartment, agreeing with her, wanting a study? The tension in their relationship, her wanting to separate? Her going off, the different returns, in the bar, seeing Gaelle, the discussions with Lionel, not being able to help him, the attraction towards Gaelle, buying the flowers, the farewell with Nicole? Being reunited? A future or not?
7.Lionel, looking after his old father, the father’s tantrums, getting Charlotte to look after him? His working in the bar, his skills, listening to people? The widower? The attraction towards Charlotte? Her work with Thierry, giving him the tapes of the favourite hymns, the pornography at the end (Charlotte or not, deliberate or not?)? Thierry and his loneliness at home, his sister fussing about him, the TV meal, watching the video, being caught? Assuming that Charlotte was making advances, his kissing her, her reaction, apology? Her use of the Bible, her patience with the impossible old man and his humiliation? Her buying the sexy clothes and performing? The effect on the old man, his heart attack? Lionel and his not knowing this? The appreciation of Charlotte? An ambiguous character?
8.Gaelle, at home, fussing about her brother, her being younger, going out, looking for contacts, failing? Answering the advertisement, meeting Dan, the false name, their getting on well together? Her seeing him with Nicole, assuming the worst? Possibilities for a future?
9.A merry-go-round of characters, relationships? Disappointments in life? The strength of men, the strength of women? Weaknesses?
10.A much ado about very little kind of trifle, Gallic style?
