VIOLETTE ET FRANCOIS

France, 1977, 98 minutes, Colour.
Isabelle Adjani, Jacques Dutronc, Francois Arnoul, Serge Reggiani, Lea Massari.
Directed by Jacques Rouffio.

Violette et Francois is a mixture of American ‘Fun with Dick and Jane’ and the Australian 'Mouth to Mouth1. It is a slice of life, the portrayal of a young French couple coping with the economic situation as well as their emotional problems. It is very well acted and glossily portrayed. It does look similar to many French films of the mid-seventies - with their insight for portraits of human nature, French sentiment, French pessimism. Isabelle Adjani, of The Story of Adele H. and The Tenant, is the focus of attention and is very effective in the central role. So also is Francois.

1. The impact of the film, its characters and themes? France in the 1970s, parallels with economic situations in other countries?

2. Settings, real and authentic? Colour photography? Musical Score?

3. The older generation? Violette’s mother, gofather? Their stances, care for their daughter, opposition to Francois?

4. Francois’ parents? Their backgrounds, stances, support of their son?

5. Violette, her strength of character? Her attitude towards her mother, clashes, the differences because of Francois? The attraction, going out, partner, love, marriage? The details of their life at home, difficulties, financial hardships? Her reaction to his behaviour and its effect on their relationship?

6. The contrast with Francois? His work as a real estate agent, with the audio visuals, selling things on the stall? A man in his early twenties, his capacity for loving relationships, fathering the child? His lack of responsibility in marrying? The importance of the role of his father, going to see him, the discussions, his father's telling him he wasn't his son? His meeting his mother and the presentation of his mother and her personality? Their presence at the wedding? His going to his father after the arrest? His decision to marry Violette and the happiness of the wedding and the early months? The irony of his seeing another woman and the sexuality without love? His wanting to work, yet his compulsion to steal? His ability for shop-lifting, the scenes in which he exercised this? His quick thinking to rescue difficult situations for example the incident with the fur coat? His self-image and self-respect in the light of his shop-lifting?

7. The film's attention to details of ordinary day-to-day living in the apartment, shopping, feeding the baby etc.? The growth of love within this framework?

8. The visual portrayal of the shop-lifting: the stealing of the red dress from the window, the super-market and putting the cans in Paul's clothes, Francois training with the overcoat? The sequence of the various escapades, the dangers for Violette and her fear? Her being caught and interviewed and the effect on her? The effect of his being arrested? Coping with surveillance, shop detectives?

9. The importance of the role of the parents - the distance of Violette from her mother, the complex relationship of Francois with his parents and his attitude to marriage and his child?

10. The portrait of friends, Violette's friend and her support, the people working on the magazine and the attention to sequences in producing the magazine?

11. The ironies of the magazines failure and all that that had meant to them? The effect on Francois’ self-image and the marriage?

12. What happened in the breakdown of the marriage? What were the final issues? Francois and his going home and staying at home with his father? His lack of communication with Violette and Paul? Violette and her walking the streets with the baby, settling down with someone else, the tone in the letter and its being read over the scenes of their individual loneliness? The fact that they did love one another? Did they have a future together?

13. The importance of the editing of the film, the interspersing of memories, the overlap of dialogue on consequent sequences?

14. How typical a French film? French atmosphere, the way of life, character and atmosphere? Insight into human nature?