LA VIE EST UN ROMAN

France, 1983, 111 minutes, Colour.
Vittorio Gassman, Ruggero Raimondi, Geraldine Chaplin, Fanny Ardant, Sabine Azema, Pierre Arditi.
Directed by Alain Resnais.

La Vie Est Un Roman (Life Is A Bed of Roses) was written and directed by celebrated French director Alain Resnais. He made his mark with the experimental Last Year at Marienbad in the '60s. His films include Muriel and Providence. With My Uncle From America, Resnais seemed to be illustrating ideas via visuals. This seems to be the case with the present film - which intercuts several stories from the past, the present and from children's imagination. There is exploration of optimism, experimentation for a kind of spiritual Nirvana, theories of education, the imagination. The film has an interesting cast, Vittorio Gassman from Italy, Geraldine Chaplin, Fanny Ardant and Sabine Azema from France. The central role is taken by opera singer Ruggero Raimondi (Don Giovanni, Carmen). The
film offers delight and puzzle - and is the work of a film-maker enjoying his craft and tantalising his audience.

1. The title? Symbolism? Desire? Quotations? Visualisation of the theme?

2. The work of Alain Resnais: his explorations of meaning, time, place, psychology, education?

3. The visual qualities of the film: 1914 - dawn, the arrival, the model. symbolist work, pastry, decor, costumes? The transition to 1919: elegance., decor, the room with the potions, the cavern? The contrast with 1982. the castle and decor? More ordinary? The forest? The fairytale atmosphere - the stage, artificiality? Editing and cross-cutting for delight? Each time segment commenting on the other?

4. The musical score and its relationship to the various periods? Classical music, jazz? Harmonies both serious and comic? Songs: amour? Elizabeth and the chorus? The effect of the various genres? The musical experience?

5. Amour, harmony, pleasure. the senses, imagination, education? The blend of these themes?

6. The structure: 1914 and its tone, dream, ideal? Complexity, love, betrayal? The model and war? The 1980s and its more mundane visual impression, the conference on imagination? The blend of comedy and reality? The children - talked about, present, reflecting the adults, the fairytale inserts and the children's presence there? 1919 and the quest for torpor, harmony? Myth? The resolution and its failure? The perennial fairy tale?

7. A sense of place, history? Mythical aspects - references to place, time? The changes of the 20th. century? What changes, what remains? The search for Utopia? Eternity on earth? The value of being in a place, being in a time? The myths of control and agelessness?

8. The fairy tale and the children? The dire aspects. the mothers. the song? The son, the rescue, the dragon, the villain and cruelty. the execution of the children, death and happiness? Tales from eternity? Meaning - real or ideal? Myth-making and truth?

9. 1982: the castle and its history, its use as a school. an exclusive school, the proprietor and her liberty speech. her severity, forbidding the model in the building? Looking after the children, the children on holidays - play, their own world, the encounter, swearing? The tomato, Elizabeth's model, singing, tales, freedom, the bond with their father? The final talk - growing up? Knowledge? Education and the imagination, freedom, creativity, imitation, knowledge? Theories and their various protagonists?

10. The group: Monsieur Leroux and his unctuous style, blending, harmony, introductions, smooth? Break-out and ending? The kindergarten - anger, the tomatoes; priest and his style - no schools; Sister and the computer - not God? Science and discipline? The various types?

11. Seriousness and commitment, call and dedication - the bull session? The interrelationships, liaisons and their casual nature, intrigue? Genuine, phony?

12. Elizabeth and her arrival, public school, model awe, hopes, girls and hurt, serious, dream, bull session, the tomato and Fred, eating compulsion, Walter and eating, talk, her being pushed towards Robert, her song and delight, the night - and going to Walter, the ending? Ideals, serious, parents and fiance? Complementing Walter?

13. Robert and his jokes, clowning, games, listening, the son and the tomato, Elizabeth and the walk, appreciation, kiss, sacked, Claudine?

14. Walter and his expertise, arrival and debunking, the relationship with Nora, style, discussions, relationship with Elizabeth, the pizza? Sexual encounter with Nora? The sessions? The finale?

15. Nora and her arrival, international reputation, sweet but swearing, children, the walk, a poseur, thesis, introduction kissing everyone, Claudine and Elizabeth, the bet, control, her bitchiness, relationship with Walter, the end and her disappointment?

16. 1914-19. Michel and his intensity, his summons, the model, Livia? The war and his memories, comments? The options, the dream, the drugs, the cavern and the decor, the attendants? Theories about happiness and harmony? Ritual? The experiment, deaths? His father and clash? Livia and the truth?
Passion, failure, death?

17. Livia and her relationship with Michel, amour, Raoul and their love? Her return, participating in the ritual, her pretence, wanting Raoul, the clash with Michele? Her speech about passion?

18. The intercutting of each of these stories with the other? The cinematic possibilities for exploring ideas and emotions?