are not the same. This film, in its depiction of Gabrielle seems to fuse the two and it made for a glossy but dull looking film with a bland veneer to the central female character. Chabrol did far, far better in Le Boucher.
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In the shape of a girl
Hi PoppyTransfusion,
I always enjoy reading your posts (and your sig); we seem to watch the same films from time to time. For me, the word that best describes Gabrielle is ambivalent (with some rather serious "daddy issues" tossed in for good measure). Her character is a frustrating, enervating one, to be sure. But for me, that was a big part of what made the film brilliant, because it managed to evoke emotions that ranged from empathy to utter disgust. And for a film to be able to evoke such a broad range of emotions is not easy, especially when you consider that there's really no explanation for why she is the way she is (maybe the absence of her father has something to do with it). But there's certainly no logical explanation for why she would continue to love a man who humiliated and abused her -- except for the fact that, for whatever reason, she NEEDED that sort of abuse and humiliation. (And of course, the old: "The heart loves who/what it loves".)
And there's always an inherent danger whenever a film portrays that sort of character -- the CHARACTER is unlikable, so then the FILM becomes unlikable because viewers don't like the message that's being portrayed. But that's a mistake in this instance, because I believe the film did an excellent job of capturing the main character's ambivalence to perfection. I was particularly impressed with the way it showed Gabrielle choosing to tell the painful truths regarding the lengths she'd go to please and, in her mind, love Charles. It said to me that maybe, just maybe, she understood what Charles had done to her in a different light, and that maybe her future choices would be better than her past choices.
So all in all, especially factoring in that this is a French film with French sensibilities, I feel that The Girl Cut In Two is a very good character study on many levels. But hey...that's just my 2 cents' worth.
"Love isn't what you say or how you feel, it's what you DO". (The Last Kiss)
Hello skay,
Thanks for your post.
Unfortunately I found the film evoked either frustation or boredom in me with the occasional indifference. The 3 main characters I disliked in various ways and I felt nothing when Paul killed Charles at the end.
there's certainly no logical explanation for why she would continue to love a man who humiliated and abused her -- except for the fact that, for whatever reason, she NEEDED that sort of abuse and humiliation.Interesting perspective. I didn't perceive any chemistry between the actors playing Gabrielle or Charles so apart from the possibility of the former's career ambitions in which Charles might be useful, I couldn't see why she was drawn to him at all.
And there's always an inherent danger whenever a film portrays that sort of character -- the CHARACTER is unlikable, so then the FILM becomes unlikable because viewers don't like the message that's being portrayed.
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Thanks for your response, Poppy. I can certainly understand what you're saying in terms of the film evoking frustration and boredom. In terms of whether or not Gabrielle is portrayed as simply passive, or as a full on submissive, I think her behavior goes beyond just merely being passive, but reasonable minds can and do reasonably differ.
"Love isn't what you say or how you feel, it's what you DO". (The Last Kiss)
whether or not Gabrielle is portrayed as simply passive, or as a full on submissivePerhaps I make assumptions about the latter and its connection to masochism. I think it's fair to say that I don't understand Gabrielle and am sufficiently removed from her character to find her alien and unlikeable. Of the three main characters the only one that I could relate to a little was Paul, but not enough to care.
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Hello, Miss Poppy!!
My Aunt Alice asked me if I wanted to see this movie, so I came here to check it out. I was surprised at the amount of discussion, but saw your name.
Firstly, old man/young woman movies make me squirm. Plus a luke-warm - if that - reception on your part, I think I'll pass.
Happy watching!!
Hello sal.
That's a pity as I would have been interested in your thoughts on it had you decided to see the film.
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I'm putting a lot of faith in your opinion. I'll watch it this weekend, however I see that it is the same director who did "Merci Pour le Chocolat".
Please see my comment there, basically, "the worst French film I have ever seen."
My opinion is that I don't care for the film very much but there are others who see more in it than I do and I'm curious as to what you would make of it. Please note: I'm not recommending it at all. I haven't seen Merci Pour Le Chocolat but there are two Chabrol films I've seen and like very much: Le Boucher and The Flowers of Evil. Now those I recommend highly.
To say a little often is to tell more than to say a great deal.share
Especially as I am not a fan of movies where there is such a vast age difference, I found it hard to believe that such devotion was elicited in so short a period of time.
The film makes a lot more sense when the Dom/sub angle is factored in. Still, though, unlike The Piano Teacher where the feelings were already in place, I don't believe enough time is portrayed as having passed for the D/s lifestyle to have taken root.
I thought Benoit Maginal played "Paul" very well. One does indeed have to be careful, as posted above, not to transpose an unlikable character into an unlikable film.
The forum here helped improve my opinion of the film. I'm not too bright, though. Maybe that's why I like French rom-coms... hit me in the face with the plot and I'll be happy.
I've got Aunt Alice looking for Le Boucher now.
I found it hard to believe that such devotion was elicited in so short a period of time.Agreed. I found comprehending her motive(s) for marrying inexplicable too. I think part of the problem is either the female character is not developed enough or the film rests heavily on symbols and nuaces regarding her psychology of which the average viewer will not be aware.
One does indeed have to be careful, as posted above, not to transpose an unlikable character into an unlikable film.Yes it's quite a subtle consideration because, for example, in Rust and Bone I didn't like Ali but equally he was not inherently unlikeable, which my antipathy tells me the female lead and Charles are.
To say a little often is to tell more than to say a great deal.share