The film's anatomy of human desires and dilemmas is just too good.
I just read a paragraph about Spinoza's philosophical theory today. He believes that "man can strive for freedom in order to remove external bondage, but he can never obtain 'free will'... Therefore, man does not have a free soul." And we "cannot achieve true happiness and harmony because of various impulses within us. Such as ambition and desire."
The three-person relationship between Catherine, Jules, and Jim and the multi-dimensional relationship that they trigger in this film is very extreme. Catherine is very seductive and gets the pleasure of conquering different lovers. Pursue the freedom of the soul, but at the same time is bound by the unrealistic pursuit process itself. Her desires are seen through by Jim, she can't accept the fact of losing Jim, so she would rather go to destruction.
Jim's remarks to Catherine at the end of the film are very instructive. Excerpts are below. (Watch the English subtitled version)
“Jim: I found a passage you'd marked in a book you lent me. 'A woman on a ship gives herself in her imagination to a stranger.' It struck me as a confession. That's how you explore the universe. I feel that keen curiosity too. Perhaps everyone does. I control it for your sake, but I'm not sure you do for mine. I agree with you that in love a couple is not ideal. You only have to look around. You wanted to invent something better by rejecting hypocrisy and resignation. You wanted to invent love.
But pioneers must be humble and unselfish. We must face the truth. We failed. We made a mess of everything. You tried to change me to suit you. I tried to spread joy, but I've created only pain. ”
Jim's words touched Catherine's pain. He knew that Catherine's efforts were futile and that her self-indulgent temptations could only lead to pain, not pure love (freedom).
In addition, I like the narrative perspective of the whole film. The narration runs through the whole film. Several abstract close-ups (such as a sculpture's smile), moving shots (running), and freeze-frame pictures (Catherine's expression show) clearly distinguish the film from reality. , the author does not want the audience to be "deceived" by the image, but uses the film to let everyone see the dilemma that also exists in himself. This is the attitude of the French New Wave directors to the film. The film should reflect reality and express emotions, not against Reproduction of a certain model. In addition, the soundtrack of the film is very poetic, with a mix of banter and sadness. C'est la vie!
Although I can't accept the heroine's behavior, she is so beautiful! ! From a feminist point of view, unlike the Hollywood melodrama-style expression of mother images (excessive motherhood), the film uses "children" as a metaphor for women's desires, and Catherine does not shy away from asking Jim for children. The beautiful Angela in Godard's film "Une femme est une femme" (1961), which I like very much, is such an image, always shouting for children and boldly showing her desire for love. "Ancestors and Zhans" was produced a year later, which may also draw lessons from it. Women in French movies are so beautiful.
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