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Another day, another ex-Cahiers du Cinema writer, Nouvelle Vague founder member. While we've played around with Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut, today we're touching on someone often thought of as the ultimate father of the movement, Claude Chabrol (this is an extremely arguable claim, by the way, but we're not here to discuss history. In fact, we're not even going to look at one of his films from the period in question, instead drifting back merely three years to 2007.)
The Girl Cut In Two
stars two young actors who have only recently appeared on this blog, Ludivine Sagnier (in Swimming Pool) and Benoît Magimel (from The Piano Teacher.) Sagnier plays Gabrielle, a television weather reporter and the object of the affections of both celebrated older author Charles Saint-Denis (François Berléand) and young playboy Paul (Magimel.) Charles is a bit of a whore, married to one woman, seeing Gabrielle on the side, going to a variety of sex clubs. Paul is a bit of a pig, not doing anything with his life except relying on the fortune he is set to inherit, arrogant and cocksure. Gabrielle is in the middle, flattered by both attentions, though the one she really wants is Charles. Charles, however, once he has her, uses her as a pawn in his game before discarding her, unwilling to bring her into his life when he is otherwise perfectly happily married. Paul, meanwhile, won't give up, begging for her hand, promising the world. But this love for Gabrielle, or desire, or whatever, doesn't end in happiness for either Paul, Charles or the beautiful Gabrielle.
It's a nice film, albeit somewhat bland. It doesn't feel anywhere near as exciting as I feel it could, coming from someone with the pedigree of Chabrol. It was feels quite run of the mill for the most part, bolstered by strong performances from the leads that are nonetheless playing somewhat distant and dislikable characters, quite alienating the viewer from the emotions of the characters - in fact, other than a period of Gabrielle's devastation, it is damned hard to see any real emotion from the characters. Even Paul, who seems to wear his heart on his sleeve, often seems insincere, as though he has ulterior motives - which wouldn't surprise me in the slightest.
This isn't to say it's a bad film. It is quite entertaining to watch, the film compels your attention and keeps moving forwards. It's just a bit average, a bit run of the mill. There isn't anything here that particularly grabs your attention and emotion. It spends a perfectly pleasant couple of hours in front of you and then disappears again. 2.5 stars.
I remember, back in the day, thinking that Ludivine Sagnier would go on to be a big star, with great cross-over appeal in the English language world. For some reason, however, it doesn't seem to have happened, at least not to the level that I anticipated. I can't even remember what movie made me think it - I'm sure it was before her turn in 8 Femmes. Maybe it wasn't, though I don't think that film made a big enough impression on me to have made me think it on my own.
I thought it again watching François Ozon's Swimming Pool
alongside Charlotte Rampling (who was in Ozon's previous film on here, Under The Sand.) She is beautiful, she is talented, and she has that gorgeous voice, whether speaking in French or in English.
Sarah (Rampling) is a successful writer of crime fiction, somewhat uptight, who is offered by her publisher (who it is implied she may be having, have had, or want to have a fling with) the use of his house in France to work on her next novel, away from the distractions and complications of her London life. She takes him up on it, and begins to enjoy her time there, relaxing, doing as she will. Her solitude is interrupted, however, by the arrival of Julie (Sagnier), apparently the publisher's daughter from an old relationship. She says that she is allowed to use the house whenever she wants, and Sarah obviously cannot say no. Julie, however, is intent on partying like the young, free girl that she has, which seems to include bringing home a different man every night. Sarah is initially somewhat angry and hostile about this, but shortly starts to take an interest, somewhat voyeuristic, in Julie's exploits, showing jealousy at her lifestyle.
Julie brings home a waiter, Franck (Jean-Marie Lamour) who Sarah has also been flirting with, and it soon seems that Franck is more interested in Sarah than Julie, though Sarah's prudish ways do little to entice him. The next morning, however, Franck has disappeared, after he stopped Julie from fellating him on the edge of the swimming pool due to his shock at Sarah throwing a rock in the pool from her vantage point on a balcony off her bedroom.
I shan't go further for fear of giving too much away, but let it be said that I'm sure the plot would go down very well in one of Sarah's murder mysteries (and I'm sure that was the point - I'm not dense.)
Coming out of the viewing of the film I thought to myself that I think Ozon is a director whom I always want to like more than I do. Looking back on it now, however, I think the film has worked its way into me much more than I gave it credit for. The pacing of the film works perfectly, giving ample time to truly understand each of the primary female characters and allowing for their motivations to become entirely understandable. Rampling does well (though her English does sound like a Frenchwoman speaking English, which is strange considering she is, actually, English. Maybe it was just me, but speaking her native tongue never struck me as particularly natural for her character. Sagnier was beautiful and youthfully tortured, turning in her character with all of her vulnerabilities with style and finesse. Maybe her stardom will come with age - so often the pretty are ignored until a wrinkle or two appears.
I prefer this film to Under The Sand (possibly because of my age - Under The Sand was, I think, dealing with themes and issues more geared to an older audience), but I still would heistate to call it a great film. I will keep plugging along with Ozon's filmography, and wait for that one that grabs me and says 'yes! You're right! He's genius!', because I'm sure it is there. I can feel it, waiting to engage me on a much deeper level. In the meantime, 4 stars.
