Jules and Jim (1962) directed by Francois Truffaut
This film should actually be called Jules, Jim and Catherine as it tells the story of a decades long love triangle involving two best friends and the woman that they both love yet neither can have. It is a a roller coaster of a film that has moments of pure joy and passion mixed with restless dissatisfaction and tragedy.
Jules is an Austrian visiting Paris in 1912 where he meets a fellow kindred spirit in Jim, a native Parisian. They instantly hit it off and become inseparable best friends. This is told in a rapid fire narration and accompanying montage that sets the tone and story for the rest of the film which spans over two decades seamlessly in under two hours. They soon meet the enigmatic free spirited woman Catherine and are both immediately drawn to her. They spend much time together and these early scenes together are filled with unbridled beauty and joy. My favorite scene is from the picture above where they race across a bridge. There is a certain joy one senses not just from the characters but by Truffaut as well. Throughout the film we are treated to the director's cinematic flair and style. This is what the French New Wave was all about.
It is eventually Jules that wins over Catherine and the two marry. However, almost immediately Jules and Jim must go off to fight in WWI on opposing sides. Their greatest fear is having to kill each other in battle, but luckily this does not happen. Years pass and we discover Jules and Catherine living in the countryside with a five year old daughter. Jules invites Jim to visit and the two friends are reunited and all seems like it once was. However, Jules confesses to Jim that the marriage is crumbling with Catherine becoming increasingly harder to keep happy. She has had several lovers and even disappeared for six months before eventually returning.
The central figure in this story is of course Catherine who is impossible to please or to figure out. It would seem what she desires most is her freedom, yet demands the undivided attention of the men (in this case Jules) that she cannot herself reciprocate. As Mumford and Sons sing in Blank White Pages: "You desire my attention, but deny me my affections." In a revealing scene, Catherine poignantly tells Jim, "I don't want to be understood." To understand her is to own a piece of her which she clearly cannot stand. We spend the majority of the film trying to figure out what's going in her head and we sort of get the idea, but most importantly we can sense the unrest growing inside of her.
Jim is even more enamored by Catherine than ever and the two start an affair with Jules's blessing. Jules is so desperate to keep Catherine in his life that he encourages the two to marry. At least this way he knows she will be in good hands with his best friend. At this point, I'm thinking, "Oh poor Jules," and also how incredibly messed up this whole situation is! But such is the nature of a love triangle I suppose. The three live together seemingly happy until once again Catherine goes off her rocker.
Years pass as we circle the on and off again relationships between Jules and Catherine and Jim and Catherine. These are rather somber moments as we realized none of these characters can truly be happy. They all seek to recapture the joy they once shared in their youths, but are only hanging on to fading memories. But what made me happy was that despite the looming presence of a psychotic woman in their lives, Jules's and Jim's friendship remains pure and unadulterated. Of course the film doesn't end with this happy sentiment but it is the lasting impression I wish to take from this strangely wonderful film.
Grade: A-
This film should actually be called Jules, Jim and Catherine as it tells the story of a decades long love triangle involving two best friends and the woman that they both love yet neither can have. It is a a roller coaster of a film that has moments of pure joy and passion mixed with restless dissatisfaction and tragedy.
Jules is an Austrian visiting Paris in 1912 where he meets a fellow kindred spirit in Jim, a native Parisian. They instantly hit it off and become inseparable best friends. This is told in a rapid fire narration and accompanying montage that sets the tone and story for the rest of the film which spans over two decades seamlessly in under two hours. They soon meet the enigmatic free spirited woman Catherine and are both immediately drawn to her. They spend much time together and these early scenes together are filled with unbridled beauty and joy. My favorite scene is from the picture above where they race across a bridge. There is a certain joy one senses not just from the characters but by Truffaut as well. Throughout the film we are treated to the director's cinematic flair and style. This is what the French New Wave was all about.
It is eventually Jules that wins over Catherine and the two marry. However, almost immediately Jules and Jim must go off to fight in WWI on opposing sides. Their greatest fear is having to kill each other in battle, but luckily this does not happen. Years pass and we discover Jules and Catherine living in the countryside with a five year old daughter. Jules invites Jim to visit and the two friends are reunited and all seems like it once was. However, Jules confesses to Jim that the marriage is crumbling with Catherine becoming increasingly harder to keep happy. She has had several lovers and even disappeared for six months before eventually returning.
The central figure in this story is of course Catherine who is impossible to please or to figure out. It would seem what she desires most is her freedom, yet demands the undivided attention of the men (in this case Jules) that she cannot herself reciprocate. As Mumford and Sons sing in Blank White Pages: "You desire my attention, but deny me my affections." In a revealing scene, Catherine poignantly tells Jim, "I don't want to be understood." To understand her is to own a piece of her which she clearly cannot stand. We spend the majority of the film trying to figure out what's going in her head and we sort of get the idea, but most importantly we can sense the unrest growing inside of her.
Jim is even more enamored by Catherine than ever and the two start an affair with Jules's blessing. Jules is so desperate to keep Catherine in his life that he encourages the two to marry. At least this way he knows she will be in good hands with his best friend. At this point, I'm thinking, "Oh poor Jules," and also how incredibly messed up this whole situation is! But such is the nature of a love triangle I suppose. The three live together seemingly happy until once again Catherine goes off her rocker.
Years pass as we circle the on and off again relationships between Jules and Catherine and Jim and Catherine. These are rather somber moments as we realized none of these characters can truly be happy. They all seek to recapture the joy they once shared in their youths, but are only hanging on to fading memories. But what made me happy was that despite the looming presence of a psychotic woman in their lives, Jules's and Jim's friendship remains pure and unadulterated. Of course the film doesn't end with this happy sentiment but it is the lasting impression I wish to take from this strangely wonderful film.
Grade: A-
No comments:
Post a Comment