Written and directed by Eric Rohmer, Pauline a la plage (Pauline at the Beach) is the story of a teenage girl who spends the summer with her older cousin as they both endure love and complications relating to love. The third film in a thematic series known as Comedies and Proverbs, the film is an exploration of a young girl dealing with first love while her cousin tries to find fulfillment through love and sex only to deal with its shortcomings. Starring Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory, and Feodor Atkine. Pauline a la plage is a rich and intoxicating film from Eric Rohmer.
The film revolves around a 15-year old girl and her older cousin as they spend the summer on the beaches of Normandy where they both encounter love with some complications along the way. It’s a film with a simple premise as its writer/director Eric Rohmer play into a young woman dealing with first love but also a cousin trying to find fulfillment through sex and love as they both deal with complications with love. Notably as the titular character (Amanda Langlet) is being persuaded by her cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle) to find someone as she meets an old flame in Pierre (Pascal Greggory) who is wind-surfing and is willing teach both women to wind-surf.
Yet, the emergence of a middle-aged man named Henri (Feodor Atkine) would change everything as Marion would pursue Henri much to Pierre’s chagrin while befriending Pauline who would also have her own first taste of love in a young man similar to her age in Sylvain (Simon de la Brosse). Still, Pauline does ask questions about love getting different ideas and answers from Marion, Pierre, and Henri which would add to confusion as well as complications for all involved. Most notably a moment where Pierre sees a naked woman in Henri’s home that would raise a lot of questions while Pauline and Marion were out visiting Mont Saint-Michel.
Rohmer’s direction is low-key in its approach to simplicity where it is shot on location in the beaches of Normandy as well as nearby locations including Mont Saint-Michel. While it features some wide shots in some of the locations as well as lot of coverage into the beaches that Pauline and the other characters go to. Much of the direction has Rohmer maintain an intimacy in his usage of close-ups and medium shots that play into these people falling in and out of love with Pierre still having feelings for Marion but is cautious into not wanting to hurt her. Even as he befriends Pauline whom he knows is too young for her but wants to ensure that she doesn’t go through some of the mistakes he and Marion made. The scene where Pierre sees this woman named Louisette (Rosette) naked at Henri’s home, it would become this moment in the film that play into not just morals but also if Pierre should tell Marion about what he saw.
Rohmer would create some compositions that play into the drama as well as shots of Pauline standing on a beach looking at the ocean. Particularly as it symbolizes this need of uncertainty and excitement yet it can also be unforgiving just like love can be. Rohmer would open and close the film with a shot of a cottage gate as it also symbolizes the start and end of something as it relates to Pauline and Marion. The latter of which is a woman who had been married before to someone she didn’t love but still has a lot to offer although Henri would tell Pauline in a monologue about his fascination for Marion but not in a way that is expected which often arouses jealousy from Pierre’s point of view. Overall, Rohmer crafts an evocative and riveting film about a teenage girl and her adult cousin trying to find love in all of its complications at the beaches of Normandy.
Cinematographer Nestor Almendros does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its naturalistic yet colorful look of many of the daytime exterior scenes of the beaches and homes as well as the interiors for some of the scenes at night. Editors Cecile Decugis and Christopher Tate do excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with a few jump-cuts to play into the drama and bits of humor. Sound mixer Georges Prat does nice work with the sound to capture the sound of waves and other natural elements in the locations as well as scenes of music being played on a record player. The film’s music by Jean-Louis Valero is wonderful as it is largely music played on location that include elements of pop for the kind of music couples dance to.
The film’s superb cast feature some notable small roles from Marie Bouteloup as Henri’s young daughter who appears briefly in the film and Michel Ferry as a friend of Sylvain. Rosette is terrific as the candy basket seller Louisette as a woman that sells candy in the beach whom Henri is attracted to while Simon de La Brosse is fantastic as Sylvain as a teenage boy slightly older than Pauline who would become her boyfriend only to be roped into a situation created by Henri. Pascal Greggory is excellent as Pierre as a young windsurfer who was a former lover of Marion that expresses concern in her pursuit of Henri whom he isn’t fond of only to find himself trying to reveal some truths that would eventually put him into trouble.
Feodor Atkine is brilliant as Henri as a middle-aged man who lives in the beaches of Normandy as someone whom Marion would pursue yet is someone that wants more as he also befriends Pauline while trying to explain to her his desires and wants in a woman that proves to be more than just physical. Arielle Dombasle is amazing as Marion as a woman that is eager to have a good time and wants to find the right man yet still has no clue in finding the right man due to her own ideals and desire that would eventually confuse Pauline. Finally, there’s Amanda Langlet in an incredible performance as the titular character as a 15-year old girl who is trying to understand love as she would endure first love but also the many complications as it relates to Henri’s actions and how Sylvain gets roped in forcing her to try and understand everything as well as realize that there’s still so much to learn.
Pauline a la plage is a tremendous film from Eric Rohmer. Featuring a great ensemble cast, Nestor Almendros’ gorgeous cinematography, and its takes on love and desire seen by a young woman experiencing these things. It’s a film that is low-key in its presentation while asking many questions into what people want in a relationship as well as some of its fallacies. In the end, Pauline a la plage is a ravishing film from Eric Rohmer.
Eric Rohmer Films: (The Sign of Leo) – The Bakery Girl of Monceau - Suzanne's Career - (Paris vu par-Place de l‘Etoile) – La collectionneuse - My Night at Maud's - Claire's Knee - Love in the Afternoon (1972 film) - (L’enfance d’une ville) - (The Marquis of O) - (Perceval le Gallois) - (Catherine de Heilbronn) - (The Aviator’s Wife) - (Le Beau Mariage) - (Full Moon of Paris) - The Green Ray - (Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle) - (Boyfriends and Girlfriends) - (Les Jeux de societe) - (A Tale of Springtime) - (A Tale of Winter) - (L’Arbre, le maire et la mediatheque) - (Le trio en mi bemol) - (Les Rendez-vous de Paris) - (Summer’s Tale) - (Autumn Tale) - (The Lady and the Duke) - (Triple Agent) - (Romance of Astrea and Celadon)
© thevoid99 2019
Based on Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Tess is the story of a young peasant girl who learns that she might be connected to an aristocratic family in the hopes of inheriting some of their fortune only to endure humiliation and betrayal. Directed by Roman Polanski and screenplay by Polanski, Gerard Bach, and John Brownjohn, the film is an exploration into the world of a young woman who copes with all sorts of challenges as she tries to see if she can get a better life as the titular character is played by Nastassja Kinski. Also starring Peter Firth, Leigh Lawson, John Collin, Rosemary Martin, and Richard Pearson. Tess is a ravishing yet evocative film from Roman Polanski.
Set in the 19th Century in Britain, the film explores a young woman who learns that her family might actually be related to an aristocratic family where her attempts to get the family fortune would have in ruins as she succumbs to shame and despair despite being cared and adored by a preacher’s son. It’s a film that plays into a woman who would go through many trials and tribulations as she copes with being raped by a man who claims to be her cousin and then carry that shame with her as she tries to move on with her life. All of which plays into the name she believed that belongs to her and her family only to be ruined in many ways all because of that cursed named.
The film’s screenplay has a unique yet complex structure as it plays into Tess’ journey from innocence to ruin. The first act revolves around Tess’ meeting with the d’Urberville family that is led by Alec d’Urberville (Leigh Lawson) as she arrives to confirm rumors that her family surname might actually be d’Urberville after her father (John Collin) runs into a parson (Tony Church) who called him Sir d’Urberville setting up the chain of events. Tess is someone that comes from a simple world as she is also very strong-willed as she isn’t really interested in inheriting a fortune but rather help out her family. When Alec takes a personal interest in Tess, Tess is bewildered as the encounter ends up being one of humiliation and shame as it’s followed by tragic circumstances which would force her to leave her family.
Upon taking a job as a milkmaid for a farm, Tess would meet an idealistic preacher’s son named Angel Clare (Peter Firth) whom she had previously encountered very early in the film from afar. It is there that the film’s second act begins where Tess finds not just hope and happiness in Angel but also a life that feels much more familiar than the one before the encounter with Alec. Yet, she is haunted by her time with Alec as she wants to tell Angel her past where it would later cause many problems where the film’s third act is about Tess devolving into a state of ruin and despair as she refuses Alec’s help while being estranged from Angel who would eventually make his own return. All of which plays into exactly what Tess wants but also in how far deep she has gone into a state of unhappiness all because of the name she thought was supposed to be hers and her family.
Roman Polanski’s direction is truly intoxicating in not just the way he creates something that feels like a moment in time where things were much simpler. It’s also in how he is able to make a story about a woman’s shame and the troubles that she would go through into something that feels quite modern. Much of the film is shot on location in France through many of its different countryside locations to play as Britain during the Victorian era. Polanski’s use of soft lenses, wide shots, medium shots, and close-ups are key to the film’s first act where it feels warm and rapturous in its look as it plays to the life that Tess could have as well as a life with Angel that is very simple. Yet, there’s many constraints about what is expected for women that would play into the film’s second half where Tess is still coping with the sense of shame over her encounter with Alec.
There is a looseness to the way the camera acts for scenes shot on carriages or in the rain as it becomes much tighter in its second half. The look itself is also very bleak where it plays into Tess own state of despair. The camera isn’t as shaky in some parts while the compositions are much broader to showcase how detached Tess is with herself and the help that she needed as it sort of plays into how stubborn she is. Even as she would reluctantly meet Alec in its third act as it plays into what she needs but also in what her family needs in the wake of everything they’ve been through. The film’s ending which also involves Angel plays into not just Tess’ desire for happiness but also all of the trouble she had encounter all because of the d’Urberville name as well as the role that is expected for women in those times. Overall, Polanski creates a very mesmerizing yet harrowing film about a woman’s troubled journey over a family name that she was connected with.
Cinematographers Geoffrey Unsworth and Ghislain Cloquet do incredible work with the film‘s very gorgeous and ravishing cinematography where Unsworth‘s work is spent on much of the film‘s exterior scenes in the fields to play into its beauty as well as the scenes at the d‘Urberville estate while Cloquet goes for more low-key looks and natural settings for much of the film‘s interiors as well as the exterior scenes in the film‘s second half as the photography of Unsworth and Cloquet is a major highlight of the film. Editors Alistair McIntyre and Tom Priestley do excellent work with the editing as it is straightforward in some parts while creating some unique jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the drama as well as some of the intense moments in the film. Production designer Pierre Guffoy and art director Jack Stephens do amazing work with the look of the d’Urberville estate and its other features as well as the look of the places that Tess and Angel would encounter including the house where they would spend their wedding night.
Costume designer Anthony Powell does brilliant work with the dresses that Tess would wear in her journey from the simple yet plain dresses early in the film to something more lavish as it progresses with elements of wear and tear to play into her despair. Sound editors Herve de Luze and Peter Horrocks do superb work with the sound to capture the sparse textures in the way the carriage sounds as well as some key moments into the machines that are emerging during those times. The film’s music by Philippe Sarde is fantastic for its lush, orchestral score that plays into the many emotions that Tess would go through in her journey as it has elements of somber strings and woodwinds to help create a sense of emotion throughout the film.
The casting of Mary Sewell is great as it features some notable small roles from Suzanna Hamilton as a milkmaid who pines for Angel, Tony Church as the parson who would inform Tess’ father of his namesake, Sylvia Coleridge as Alec’s mother, Arielle Dombasle as Sunday school teacher that Angel knew, Caroline Embling as another milkmaid Tess meets in Retty, David Markham and Pascale de Boysson as Angel’s parents, and Richard Pearson as a local vicar who tried to help out Tess following a tragic event but is constrained by his own laws. Rosemary Martin and John Collin are excellent as Tess’ parents with Martin as the more sensible mother and Collin as the father who is desperate to gain something from the family he’s related to.
Leigh Lawson is brilliant as Alec d’Urberville as a man who lives a privileged life despite not really owning up to everything he has as he tries to take control of Tess and buy her off as well as her family as he represents a symbol of capitalism and entitlement that Tess despises. Peter Firth is amazing as Angel Clare as a preacher’s son who is fascinated by Tess as he falls for her while later coping with her past as he tries to erase it only to go into his own foolish journey which would lead him back to Tess. Finally, there’s Nastassja Kinski in a remarkable performance as the titular character as a young peasant girl who would endure an incredible journey of growth and awareness about herself and the world as it’s truly intoxicating to watch as it’s a real breakthrough performance for Kinski.
Tess is an exquisitely glorious film from Roman Polanski that features a radiant performance from Nastassja Kinski. The film is definitely one of Polanski’s finest films in the way he explores morals and destinies as it relates to a young woman in the 19th Century as she is constrained by them. Armed with a great ensemble cast, gorgeous photography, sublime music, and all sorts of amazing technical work. The film is truly one of the finest and most compelling films about a woman who deals with rules and what is expected of her as she is shamed into ruin. In the end, Tess is a magnificent film from Roman Polanski.
Roman Polanski Films: Knife in the Water - Repulsion - Cul-de-Sac - The Fearless Vampire Killers - Rosemary's Baby - Macbeth (1971) - (What?) - Chinatown - The Tenant - (Pirates) - Frantic - Bitter Moon - Death and the Maiden - The Ninth Gate - The Pianist - Oliver Twist (2005 film) - The Ghost Writer - Carnage - (Venus in Fur) - (Based on a True Story) - (An Officer and a Spy) - (The Palace)
© thevoid99 2015
