MovieChat Forums > Camille Claudel 1915 (2013) Discussion > Paul Claudel when he wrote a letter

Paul Claudel when he wrote a letter


Anyone know what he was doing to his body during the writing? It looked like a he was self-mutilating his arms or something, but I can't remember seeing any blood when the camera shot him from behind the chair.

Any Paul Claudel scholars here that can chime on this?

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I had the same question, and unfortunately cannot provide an answer. I can only say it didn't seem to me that he was self-mutilating or masturbating. In fact it can't be either since his hands never leave the table. It's almost like he's watching his own shoulder and arm muscles flex without really moving his arms. VERY strange scene. Loved this movie.

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I'm not a Paul Claudel scholar, however, my take is that this scene illustrates than Msr Claudel is not as sane as he would have us believe.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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I believe Paul Claudel was involved in the Catholic sect Opus Dei which believes in mild self flagellation as part of prayer. Claudel saw all his writings, particularly letters as being prayerful.

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Claudel saw all his writings, particularly letters as being prayerful.
Was this your take, or what you've read? It adds to his character in the film and real life.
I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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The involvement in Opus Dei is fact and if one reads his letters and diaries and interpretations of them it is clear and accepted that he saw them and indeed his stream of consciousness as being prayerful and even a direct line to God. The line in the film where he tells Camille that God allows for experience in response to her objection to 'Feminist exploitation" illustrates that his beliefs and his actions could often be at odds as were his perceptions of his sister's lifestyle.

Fascinating film.

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Thanks for the further reply. It sounds as though you've made a study of his letters. I find him at once repugnant and fascinating.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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To be honest I didn't notice anything In that sequence, as another poster has said his hands were on the table clearly visible. He was a part of Opus Dei and did indulge in flagellation. What I did notice about Paul is that his spirituality can also be seen as a form of madness. He even says he's chosen by God to pass on his word, something serial killers quite often say, that they've been chosen by God. In my opinion he's quite insane.

He is vain and self satisfied and revoltingly hypocritical. He's Christian but he can't be bothered to help his sister and is quite content to leave her where she is, though she is clearly not mentally disturbed. What probably concerns him is the scandal she brought upon the family because of her affair with Rodin, nothing to do with his supposed spirituality.

One thing I did find disturbing was not in the film itself. Her daily routine as seen in the film, was the same for every day of her 30yrs incarceration. She literally did nothing,, she had given up her art once she entered the asylum, I can't begin to imagine how awful it must have been for her. Though she did look serene at the ending. An excellent film, I have been an admirer of Dumont since La Vie De Jesus.

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Well said benman46. You echo the thoughts I had about Paul Claudel. Throughout the film his longed-for visit is built up for the viewer as an event that might release Camille from her tormented incarceration. When we meet him and he decides to leave his sister where she was - well, it made me quite angry. I can't imagine what it must have been like for her either.

La Vie de Jesus is my favourite film from Dumont. I've seen everything except Flanders and I'm hoping to catch his new film at the London film festival.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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Hi faith is fascinating. When he kneels to pray on the road he is overcome by his words to God. The pride of the man seems to know no bounds. Indeed stopping his journey to pray at dusk shows his dogmatic attitude to prayer.

In the scene that follows he begins writing a letter which he puts aside and opens his journal - his most inner thoughts and perhaps demons - and writes of her pride and temperament. He stops momentarily and seems to flex and hold his right arm to cramp. He then does it with his left arm while holding his breath. This type physical routine fits with the Opus Dei fixation on the physical body being used to cleanse the soul. The belief being that if theres a stone in your shoe hurting your foot you leave it there and offer it up to God. A strange scion of the Catholic tradition.

In some ways Paul, through his devotion to opus Dei, may have believed sincerely that Camille's suffering on earth may lessen her length of suffering in Purgatory. The hypocrisy of the man is stunning.

I found that last scene where she does indeed look serene against the stone wall to be absolutely heartbreaking. This great sculptor is now hemmed in by stone the very material that expressed her art.

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I found that last scene where she does indeed look serene against the stone wall to be absolutely heartbreaking. This great sculptor is now hemmed in by stone the very material that expressed her art.
Lovely observation.
I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

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What did you all think of the casting of actual patients?

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Well, I have to confess that when I was watching I thought nothing of the participants though a question crossed my mind as to how they managed to make their roles so authentic! That question was most fleeting and it wasn't until reading more later that I realised they were non-actors. Provided they were respected and treated with integrity - and I would assume this to be so for Dumont to have permission to film them in this way - then I have no particular thought or feeling one way or t'other. Why do you ask and what was your response?

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

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