MovieChat Forums > Rien ne va plus (1997) Discussion > Fine film (spoiler)

Fine film (spoiler)

posted 9 years ago by PoppyTransfusion
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As always beautifully shot with plenty of Chabrol's humour, I think this might be one of his funniest films. But beneath the soufflé of each Chabrol film dark currents and themes lurk. Below are some images/symbols I noted from the film and would be interested in anyone's thoughts on them.

At the dance performance, which was amazing, Betty remarks to Maurice: How can she move like that? He replies It’s the costume. Well Betty wears many costumes but what does the remark about movement mean? The woman's dancing becomes a matter of form at time as she is concealed.

Victor says that the events are like a Kafka novel. How so?

Finally the reveal and Maurice’s death are played out to the music of Tosca. Why this choice of music? I'm always interested in choice of music and its relation to the narrative.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

[–] Charlot47 9 years ago

I don't mean to keep replying to your posts, but you do happen to watch some interesting films and air some interesting thoughts.

I think you are right about the dance episode. Maurice is playing games and he knows that Betty and Victor are playing games with him. The dancer is playing a game with her audience, creating ever-changing abstract shapes by manipulation of her elaborate costume yet, as you say, the woman underneath it is a cipher. Although Victor keeps damning Maurice as stupid, partly though sexual jealousy, the man's not totally daft. After all, he has enjoyed the woman underneath Betty's disguises.

As for Kafka, Victor enjoys throwing in his little cultural allusions. Did you spot in the confrontation with the Caribbean heavies where he quotes Baudelaire to them ?

[–] PoppyTransfusion 9 years ago

I don't mean to keep replying to your posts, but you do happen to watch some interesting films and air some interesting thoughts.

Well, thank you and I don't mind. I see the same posters time and again because we're watching similar films. I enjoy your observations but you rarely reply to my responses, which is disappointing.

Anyhoo, I missed the Baudelaire moments. Will need to watch again to appreciate them. But why has Chabrol chosen Kafka and Baudelaire out of the many novelists and poets?

I suppose Betty's question about how the dancer can move the way she does is an irony about her own movement as an ever changing character who is a cipher perhaps, as you suggest.

Any ideas on the use of Tosca?

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.