MovieChat Forums > Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1976) Discussion > Overcooked potatoes (Possible Spoilers)

Overcooked potatoes (Possible Spoilers)

posted 7 years ago by taco_rodriguez
3 replies | jump to latest

Although this event occurred during Day II, I took this to be one of the first major chinks in the armor of her routine, leading to her ultimate unravelling on Day III. She seemed to be at a loss of what to do with them, wandering aimlessly from room to room with the pot still in her hand before finally tossing them out (or just one of her many OCD tendencies?--seriously, that meatloaf scene for chrissakes!).

Any other thoughts on this sequence, or was I reading too much into it?

Regardless, this has to be one of the most unconventionally absorbing and riveting films I've seen; I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen for a moment--not even to push pause and use the bathroom.

[–] TopFrog 7 years ago

The pivotal event is the visit from the client on the second day. The potatoes scene you mention is pretty soon after that, but the signs of trouble begin even before the client leaves: Jeanne's hair is mussed, she fails to turn the light on before getting the client's coat, she leaves the lid off of the tureen after she puts the money in it, and she returns to the bathroom after cleaning up there, perhaps thinking that she has left something amiss. All of these come before she has to deal with the potatoes.

[–] xanthas (3215) a year ago

Did she even take a bath? I thought she ran out of time, even though they showed her scrubbing the bathtub.

[–] SlackerInc (1069) 2 years ago

It really is remarkable how riveting it is.