MovieChat Forums > Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1976) Discussion > Finally got through it

Finally got through it

posted 8 years ago by somesunnyday
1 reply | jump to latest

I've owned this on DVD for years now and each attempt to watch it has resulted in my dozing off. This is certainly not due to the film but I was always putting it on in the evening after a nice hot shower and lying on the couch. I almost always doze off under these circumstances.

This time around I dedicated myself during daylight hours to sit down uninterrupted, fully awake and watch the damn thing. My verdict is wow! This truly is a unique and effective film. I found myself completely immersed and mesmerised by Jeanne's daily routine. At one point, I felt like I was watching the cooking channel without the annoying narration of the cook.

I was intrigued by the lack of conversation between mother and son and the rare moments when they did speak were quite in depth thoughts and feelings. It was like, if you've got nothing interesting to say then keep your mouth shut.

Some complain about the length of the film but I believe it would not have nearly the same impact if it were shortened in any way. It gave you time to really get into the rhythm of her routine and develop an intimate understanding of her daily existence making her behaviour after client number two all the more startling when it occurs. I must say I was really surprised to read on here that the reason she was rattled was due to climaxing after the second client. I wasn't even aware she was climaxing with the third client until I read it on here. How the hell do you climax with that inert lump lying on top of you?

Anyway, I've been thinking about this film a lot since and I even find myself very consciously aware when completing domestic chores. It's 2016 and I'm afraid the household chores us ladies get lumbered with aren't gonna go away anytime soon. Obviously this woman had completely suppressed her feelings and held herself in her own prison of routine and loneliness.

A great work of art by Chantal Akerman and an excellent performance by Delphine Seyrig.

[–] SlackerInc (1064) 2 years ago

I really don't know about that interpretation that she was climaxing. But I agree with you that shortening the film would totally take away the impact. You could make a 90 minute version of this film while preserving every scene and all the dialogue, just shortening up the scenes of chores and other routine stuff dramatically. But it just would not mean the same thing.

And as you say, watching her cook etc. is somehow very mesmerizing. I think I might have almost liked the film more if it dared not to have a shocking ending.