MovieChat Forums > Tous les matins du monde (1991) Discussion > Music, Art and Life

Music, Art and Life

posted 16 years ago by ivyho-1
4 replies | jump to latest

I totally agree with Low man's comments. A writer by profession, I was so taken aback by the attempts the film(and/or the novel on which it's based) makes to talk about not simply music, but art and life.

St.Colombo taught Marais music,and Marais in return taught him facts of life which the recluse wouldn't have otherwise known. They shared great moments together, and parted ways in the end. The same way Marais must part with the teacher's daughter, his puppy love. People meet and part, because they have different destinies.There may be casualties, but who can you blame? The final meeting between the teacher and the pupil echoes what my favorite writer, Alice Munro, has written:"Moments of kindness and reconciliation are worth having, even if the parting has to come sooner or later."

I saw this movie twice, the last time on TV with numerous commercial breaks,and both times I cried. It hit a note that is unnameable.

[–] tintin-23 16 years ago

Since you refer to Low's incisive comments, allow me to expend on his remarks regarding another type of “acting,” that of faking the playing of the instruments, as none of the actors is a musician, or even a viol player.

Thus, the two Depardieux and especially Marielle underwent several months of serious training on the instrument. The results are that the fingerings on the frets of the viols follows precisely (almost all the time) the music being played, and the facial expressions of the actors also mirror what one would expect from real performers. This is not a trivial achievement, which contributes greatly to make the transformation of the actors into musicians convincing.

Finally, ivyho-1, you will excuse me if I appear a little rude in the following comment:

As a writer, I would expect you to be more careful and less casual: it is "de Sainte Colombe,' and not "St. Colombo," and furthermore "Colombo" is a yoghurt maker, not a 17th Century musician. :~)

[–] ivyho-1 16 years ago

Thank you, tintin-23, for pointing out my mistakes. I'll try to be more careful in the future. Is "Colombo" a yoghurt maker? Interesting.

[–] tintin-23 16 years ago

I do not believe that Marais taught anything to de Sainte Colombe, but I may be wrong. At the time of the story, the Master is at an age when a man’s character and personality do not change.

As for Marais' "puppy love," Madeleine. Marais is young, and although a little timid at first, he soon becomes sure of himself. He is “on the go,” ambitious, and sees a career in music as a way to change his social class. He is definitely a “social climber.” Marais is ruthless in his pursuit of his aims: having drawn the maximum out of Madeleine, her knowledge of the viol and her love, both of which she gave freely, Marais drops her like an old shoe and escapes to the Court.

I like your Alice Munro's quotation, which is most appropriate.

[–] phototheology 15 years ago

One can not describe the way Marin used Madeleine as puppy love. He absolutely destroyed her. He impregnated her and abandoned her. That is rapacious, not puppy love. Forgive the strong language. Madeleine killed herself because of what he did to her. This ranks right up there with The Piano in terms of disturbing relationships. Marin did not love her. He despoiled her and then married another woman! There was no accountability for Marin. He got away with a form of murder.