MovieChat Forums > Une affaire de femmes Discussion > pretty bold

pretty bold

posted 15 years ago by Clothes-Off
10 replies | jump to latest

Interesting to compare this to Mike Leigh's Vera Drake. It's so much easier to sympathize with VD, while Marie is clearly in it for the money. Not only that, the customers in this film seem less sympathetic as well. (Not only does one woman not want to carry out the pregnancy she has, she hates the children she did have!)

But to me that is the very essence of choice, not everyone is going to go about it in the way we may see fit. Like free speech, not everything that comes out of it is good, but free is free. These women had their reasons and they were exactly that--their reasons.

Anyway, it took another 11 years before an American film would dare take on the topic (with The Cider House Rules, and even in that Michael Caine's character was much more selfless than the unabashedly pragmatic Marie.

"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!" C. M. Burns

[–] obscure_note 15 years ago

[Spoilers]

I agree that this movie is bold - and on so many levels.

I haven't watched Vera Drake so I don't know on what intention that character was based on, but I disagree with your view that Marie performing abortion for the money was an entirely bad thing (At least this is the impression I got from your comment. I, on the other hand, had no trouble sympathizing with Marie even from the beginning). Sure she was sometimes selfish, and unabashedly attracted to pleasure, but the money she got also obtained a better life for her children and also sexual freedom from her boorish and sexist husband (at least before she got caught)

This movie not merely shows the injustice that women face, but what poor women face and their aspirations (both for their children and for themselves) and the ultimate limitations that hinder these women from fully realizing them.

I find your view about it being a choice is spot-on, though. Society glorifies motherhood to the extent that a lot of women think that's their sole noble position (especially back then before the modern feminist movement, though one can also argue that the feminist movement largely shuts out poor women). To hear Jasmine (Dominique Blanc's character) crying that she hated what pregnancy did to her body was a bit shocking. Here was a woman who wanted her right to lost sexual pleasure and youthful sensuality.

The other attack on patriarchy which this movie made was by portraying Marie's husband as a selfish and entitled man who reported his wife to the police because she insulted his manhood by not fulfilling his sexual desires and by being the breadwinner of the house.

Overall, a great movie. Very socially relevant, even in 2009.

Are you saying that real life isn't like in the movies?!

[–] Clothes-Off 15 years ago

"but I disagree with your view that Marie performing abortion for the money was an entirely bad thing (At least this is the impression I got from your comment. I, on the other hand, had no trouble sympathizing with Marie even from the beginning.)"

I just meant she wasn't the saint Vera Drake and MC's character in TCHR were. I liked that.

As far as the money goes, that's neither good nor bad--the gal needed money.

Your assessment of the themes here is right on. Now that I've re-read my post I'm going to go correct those typos!

"Well, for once the rich white man is in control!" C. M. Burns

[–] lamont-hard 11 years ago

Her husband was a prisoner of war, he cannot make the money to support his family, his wife treated him like dirt, so one can understand his actions. She took on a person who had no sympathy with what the people were gong through. Also not caring for him because he could not find a job and support them. My only problem is we cannot condemn a man who has to endure his wife's actions by saying he was jealous, it had nothing to do with it. He was reduced to a man with nothing and then being taunted about it.

[–] rway-1 11 years ago

obscure_note wrote "Sure she was sometimes selfish, and unabashedly attracted to pleasure, but the money she got also obtained a better life for her children and also sexual freedom from her boorish and sexist husband (at least before she got caught)"

In regards to her sexual freedom, so you think her lover wasn't sexist and perhaps somewhat boorish?

[–] franzkabuki 10 years ago

"So you think her lover wasn't sexist and perhaps somewhat boorish".

Not to mention a Nazi sympathizer to boot. As for the husband, even though writing the poison pen letter was taking it too far, one can certainly understand his reasons - the woman was not only cuckolding him, but doing it openly and flaunting it to his face. All that on top of his war trauma. And I'm sure he didn't expect her punishment to be execution.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] PoppyTransfusion 8 years ago

@ obscure_note

Nice post. It's ironic that Jasmine's comments are frequently parroted by women who have had children but in milder forms and always in the context of loving their children. To be a young woman who is permanently pregnant feels like a heavy sentence to me.

Society glorifies how quickly women can return to pre-pregnancy bodies as well. The assumption being you can get the exact same body back.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer

[–] ComtessaLaRue 15 years ago

Having seen Vera Drake just prior to this film, I can definitely understand your point of view. I agree that the character of Drake was painted in a much more sympathetic light, while Huppert's Marie was a bit less..... touching?

That being said, both films are excellent examples of what a motion picture for reproductive freedom should be. Huppert was fantastic.

[–] skiop 14 years ago

I thought Marie was totally unlikable. I wonder why they did that. It seems like it would have had more of an emotional impact if we liked her.

[–] WarpedRecord 12 years ago

I prefer the fact that Marie is not sympathetic. It makes the story much more believable, and makes it clear this is not a black-and-white issue.

I also was reminded of "Vera Drake" watching this, but in that case the lead character is much more likable. Regardless, 8/10 to both films.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 8 years ago

I agree with the OP. This is a bold film with a protagonist whose unsympathetic portrait makes her an antagonist on some levels.

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer