MovieChat Forums > L'homme de sa vie (2007) Discussion > Who wrote 'Hugo' on the window? In whose...

Who wrote 'Hugo' on the window? In whose house?

posted 16 years ago by parislover
7 replies | jump to latest

My questions about the the end scenes.

Did Hugo go back to his childhood house and found "Hugo" on the window? If so, "Hugo" must be written by his father. This implied a sign of reconciliation between father and son.

Or, did Hugo went back to his own house and found "Hugo" on window written by Frederique, a way of telling Hugo that he loves him. And yet, Frederique left his home and went to Hugo's, he found the phrases and words written on all over the walls which was Frederique's original idea. Hugo carried out this idea to tell Frederique he loves him.

But the last two houses scenes' time order might have been reversed. I meant, Federique stayed at Hugo's studio and left, Hugo came back to his own house and found "Hugo" on the window.

(I just watched this films several times last week. Boy, I loved it!)

[–] ixthvs 16 years ago

I just saw this for the first time this evening and thought it quite remarkable -- a "gay" film with a thoroughly universal theme and philosophy. And talk about philosophy, boy, they certainly DID! But it was woven so easily into the film as a whole. I also loved the flirting with magical realism in the scene transitions, and that fantastic scene with the grand-mere in the hallway. What a fine actress.

Wow, here I am giving a review, and I came here to answer your question. You got it exactly right. Hugo found his name written on the window of his childhood home (looks like in blood no less) apparently by his father. As for the complete sentences on the walls of Hugo's house, I was a bit confused by that too. You have an interesting take on that -- Hugo responding to Frederic's initial idea out of affection. But I'm not precisely sure that it was Hugo's house at that point. Things were a bit murky visually and moving at a pretty good clip there, and it could well have been a bit of that magical realism I spoke of earlier, perhaps just a dream by Frederic, seeing what he wished to see. In any event, I don't think it matters too much. I liked the film far too much to pick such small nits. Glad to ehar you liked it too.

[–] parislover 16 years ago

Thanks for replying. I think I was right in the first place. His father responded to Hugo to express his love to him by writing "Hugo" in his childhood home. And Hugo responded to Federic's love to express his by carrying out Federic's idea - worlds all over the wall. (Although I wish "Hugo" written in Hugo's house by Federic to respond to Hugo's love, I knew it was probably not so. Just becuase I am too a romantic type. ;-) When Hugo saw his name on window, he was completely healed from the past. When Federic saw his idea was carried out by Hugo, he was fulfilled emotionally.

Another question: was Federic leaving his family to go somewhere temporarily to figure thing out or he was determined to leave home to persuit his own happiness?

And was he thinking to meet Hugo again after sorting out his own thoughts?

Real question: is it possible a straight will fall for a gay though, in real world?? Ummm ...

I am glad that you seem like this movie a lot too. Beautiful shootings.

[–] orcagurl 15 years ago

Real question: is it possible a straight will fall for a gay though, in real world?? Ummm ...

Happens all the time so much it's become a cliche, at least within the gay community.

I actually thought Hugo was written by Frederique, but the explanation that he's actually in his childhood home makes more sense. I'll just have to watch that scene again!

Cronenberg: I got bored. That was traumatic.

[–] SridharRangayan 15 years ago

I saw it last night at Alliance Francaise in Singapore and was quite moved by the film. I loved it so much that I am actually reading thro the imdb message boards (which I hardly do!)...
I thought 'Hugo' was written by Frederique... Hugo came back to his own house to discover that... I can't imagine why the father would write it - that too in red/blood. The story of the father-son ended when Hugo slept next to the father. After that it is the Hugo-Frederique-wife story taken forward...
(And though I'm not a romantic), I'm quite sure Fredrique would be going away from home for a life with Hugo... it is also suggested that 'now' Hugo is also ready to be with a partner (some earlier scenes where he is abused verbally, he is running madly, His face with tears and pain) indicate that he too is now tired of the lonely 'gay' life that is not so happy as he projects it to be.
Any thoughts on this?

[–] parislover 13 years ago

Since I am a romantic, I love your prediction about Fredrique's going away with Hugo. A twist of fate which could happen to all of us?!

[–] ducdebrabant 14 years ago

As a gay man, I've known several men who formed strong attachments to me, and whose emotional availability was much more to men than to women .... and who would have been gay except for the technicality that they didn't wish to sleep with men and did wish to sleep with women.

They weren't interested in gay sex and were very much interested in straight sex, but outside of the bed they preferred the communication possible with another man, where no sexual politics or psychological games were being played, and where feelings were made explicit in the way men tend to do. And they could enjoy this even more with a gay man, since there was no competition with a gay man.

And I've also known men, basically straight, who suddenly surprised me by manifesting a wish to have a romantic encounter with me. I was pretty sure it was exceptional, if not unique, but it was quite real.

So this kind of thing (whatever we decide it is) actually does happen.

Health reform passed. Is your grandmother dead yet?

[–] parislover 13 years ago

Your last sentence cracked me up :-))) BTW, I love this film and wonder if we do know exactly where our boundaries are? A reviewed described Federic has been contentedly sleepwalking before meeting Hugo. Ummm ... this really made me think ...