☆ ☆ ☆ ½
Les
Dames du Bois de Boulogne (1945) – R. Bresson
Although he hadn’t yet developed his
mature visual style (focused on hands and feet engaged in action), in this, his
second feature film, Robert Bresson had already identified his key theme of
transcendence through suffering. True,
many of his later characters were pure, naïve, and innocent, and their
suffering lends a spiritual dimension to those films (Diary of a Country
Priest, Mouchette, Au Hasard, Balthazar, etc.) whereas here we see a victim who
has sinned herself and needs to be forgiven.
However, the plot is much more intricate than this simple theme might
suggest. Indeed, there is a deviousness of
purpose that sets the plot into motion, courtesy of Maria Casares who tricks
her ex-lover into wooing the heroine and former cabaret girl (i.e., prostitute)
without his awareness of her checkered past.
Yet, somehow true love triumphs over all (and the dialogue by Cocteau surely
helps to highlight this romantic theme).
Nevertheless, as the film fades out, Bresson’s intense focus on the
moment of release from sin prepares us for his substantial body of work yet to
come.
No comments:
Post a Comment