Male-female relationships in French New Wave cinema

Films and Directors of the French New Wave Movement

Discuss the male/female relationship in the Umbrellas of Cherbourg, My Night at Maud's, Le boucher Shoot the Piano Player regards to the Nouvelle Vague.

La Nouvelle Vague, or the "New Wave," is a term given by film critics in the late 1950's to a cluster of French filmmakers who began a movement that rejected classical cinema to introduce new perspectives of romantic youthfulness. They also broke with traditional models to address political or social themes with refreshed images and dialogue. Additionally, they believed that cinema could discover the mysterious often un-discussed facets of human experiences. These fresh ideas were especially moving when filming the male/female relationships as seen in "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," "My Night at Maud's," "Le Boucher" and "Shoot the Piano Player."

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, directed by Jacques Demy, portrays traditional male and female role but opens the door to consider the implications of convention and how it affects couples that are not able to follow traditional paths.

This visually striking story is of 17-year Genevieve who has a secret romance with 20-year mechanic, Guy. The plot thickens when Genevieve's mother objects to her desire to marry Guy. Her objection shows a contrast between the traditional values of the mother and the youthful uninhibited views of the leads. It is interesting that Genevieve's mother is a widow and shop owner. Her character is strong and independent and yet she is not open or supportive of her daughter's decisions. She seems caught between worlds. At this point, the relationship between the couple is, as the mother realizes, immature and a classically youthful.

Later, Guy is drafted and is about to be sent to a foreign country which gives the couple impetus to making love outside of marriage which predictable results in the conception of a child. Here the movie exposes the attitude of the times which seeks to open a dialogue about premarital sex. The couple tried to follow the traditional path of marriage but when obstructed they pursued their passion. The couple is so engaging that the viewer wants things to work out but the whole romance is not practical. The mother is right again. Guy, as he is sent to war, is not able to be a provider for his lover or their child.

Meanwhile, a local businessman, a gem dealer named Roland, falls in love with Genevieve and proposes to marry her. This satisfies her mother so the poor girl accepts. Genevieve has to choose between her love for Guy and the stability offered by Roland. Is she compromising? Does there have to be a choice between love and security?

Years later, the star-crossed lovers meet again when Genevieve and her daughter stop at a gas station that is owned by Guy. Genevieve is obviously wealthy, a sign that Roland has been the provider that Guy could not be. The conversation between the two is painfully tense with unspoken regret and lingering sentiment. It is peppered with polite discourse that challenges audiences to consider the consequences of roads taken and not taken.

My Night at Maud's

"My Night at Maud's" is third in a series of six moral tales directed by Eric Rohmer. Each film in the series explores contemporary themes of love and romance covering philosophical and moral dilemma. This film is packed with the ideals and sensibilities of the New Wave movement in general and demonstrates the provocative message of Rohmer that love is not as simple as it seems. The story of "My Night with Maud" brings the reality of temptation and conflicting desires out of simplistic categories and puts them on the level of authentic human experience which is multi-layered and not always easy to sort out.

This story is of two people, Jean-Louis and Maud. Jean-Louis is a Catholic engineer and Maud is a beautiful a pediatrician and divorced mother. They meet after Christmas Eve Mass when a friend, named Vidal, introduces them and the three have dinner together. From the beginning the stage is set for tension between faith, which is seen as restrictive with unachievable and unnecessary restrictions, and an attraction that that same faith would call fatal. The male/female roles begin as tempter and tempted. This tug toward temptation is emphasized during a philosophical discussion that unfolds over dinner. Jean-Louis, whose devotion to his faith and to God seems sincere, claims not to be interested in casual affairs. However, his attraction to Maud is also obvious. Maud sees this declaration as hypocritical. The discussion is quite sophisticated, encompassing topics from literature, mathematics, politics, religion, and philosophy, which heightens the passionate tension between the couple. The attraction moves beyond the physical as the characters are challenged intellectually.

In this dialogue-rich film, Rohmer appears to be proposing that the demands of faith and the demands of love are the same. The reward of each can only come about through risk or, perhaps, through detachment of other loves.

Shoot the Piano Player

Compared to "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," "My Night at Maud's," and "Le Boucher" the male/female role in "Shoot the Piano Player" is rather simplistic and relaxing. In this story, the lead male, called Charlie, plays piano in a bar where Lena is a waitress. Lena is in love with Charlie but Charlie is mourning the death of his wife who committed suicide. In fact he has left his former life, and took the job in the bar, to escape the pain of his wife death. The romance between Charlie and Lena is woven in and out of a more compelling plot with gangsters and kidnappings. Lena's role in the film is classically feminine. She patiently loves the shy and withdrawn Charlie until he confides in her and shares his past. The director, Francois Truffaut, presents a difficult situation that hinders the love between Lena and Charlie, but, unlike the previously discussed films, he offers a glimmer of hope and allows the audience to believe that love heals all wounds.

Question 2: Compare and contrast Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard as directors based on the films we've watched: Truffaut's, The 400 Blows and Shoot the Piano Player vs. Godard's Breathless and Pierrot le fou.

Two of the most renowned Nouvelle Vague directors are without doubt Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. The two contemporaries met in 1949 in post-war France and formed an unusual friendship. Their backgrounds are starkly different. Francois, born in 1930, was raised by his mother and step-father, and had a childhood that was riddled with trouble and hardship. As a young adult, Truffaut deserted from the military, and spent time in a German prison. His troubles led him to film where he put much of his time and energy. Jean-Luc Godard, on the other hand, two years the younger, was the son of a physician and had composers, theologians, and pastors for relatives. He attended college in Switzerland and Paris where he joined a group of young filmmakers, where "New Wave" movement was born. A mutual passion for cinema and a desire to vitalize film brought the two unlikely friends together and forged a relationship that impacted film making for decades. Despite their successes and great influence in the film industry, their friendship polarized into rivalry. By the time of Truffaut's untimely death, in 1984, the two were not on speaking terms.

Both men had lustrous careers. Among other accomplishments, Truffaut directed 27 films, wrote for 35, and produced 19. Godard was more prolific. He directed 92 films, and edit or wrote for over 100 more. Though Truffaut did not contribute in the volume of films of Godard the passion and range of emotion in his films were second to none. He tackled genres ranging from thrillers, romantic comedy, tragic romance, to science-fiction. Perhaps as a product of his turbulent youth, his philosophy of film making was to show humanity from an auto-biographical vantage point. His love for women and pulp-fiction was often revealed in his work. A view point that Godard and Truffaut shared was the desire to portrait youthfulness in a contemporary context. In this endeavor, the two filmmakers broke all the established rules of cinema including those of continuity, camera shots, and narrative. Godard, especially, was known for his demand of vision and clarity and he did not succumb to conservative dos and don'ts if it compromised his vision and desire to tell the story with images. He once declared, "There is no point in having sharp images when you've fuzzy ideas."

In 1959 both men realized international success, both financially and critically, with debut films: Truffaut's "The 400 Blows," and Godard's "Breathless." Following this initial success both filmmakers went on to make many films including Truffaut's "Shoot the Piano Player," and Godard's "Pierrot le fou." The films have notable similarities and differences that reflect the differences in the producers' life experiences and respective perspectives.

Shadows of Truffaut's life can be seen in the semi-autobiographical film "The 400 Blows," which is a story of a misunderstood, neglected, and troubled teenager, named Antoine, who turns to street crime. The title is innovative. The phrase "400 Blows" most apparently refers to the numerous beatings, both physical and psychological, that the boy received; however, the phrase in French is a saying that translates in meaning to the English "to raise hell." The film implies, then, that the boy isn't merely a victim but has, in some sense, a say in his life. In that way, Truffaut is constantly implying that the boy will be able to escape his pathetic life for greener pastures, but, like a carrot being dangled in front of the audiences' eyes, as soon as there is a glimpse of hope the storyline moves away. Contrasts in music, character, and scenery are seen from the opening scenes through to the last to evoke radical mood shifts. Truffaut displays his mastery cinematography in this debut film.

"Breathless," premiered in France in 1959. It is a romanticized gangster flick whose hero, someone reminiscent of Bonnie and Clyde, hooks-up with an American girl and goes on the run. In an eruption of youthful rebellion and perceived freedom, "Breathless" showcases the beautiful Jean Seberg as a witty American tease who loves and then betrays a handsome wayward French boy, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. Breathless succeeded on many fronts but, as time has seen, it notably succeeded in its ability to articulate the rhythms of its time in history and promote a kind of nostalgia for youth that viewers of all generations can appreciate. It has its moments of brutal honesty, especially in sexual candor. In this way, it was patently different than past films. On the other hand, the bad-boy-meets-pretty-girl plot was a more generic, less original, and less complicated than Truffaut's "400 Blows."

Like Truffaut, Godard violated classic directing techniques and standards throughout the film, keeping viewers on their toes. For example scenes regularly violation of the 180-degree rule, and insert unexpected jump-cuts. In addition, both film-makers had the ability to change the audience view of the main character that went outside the box of a typical protagonist. The following year, in 1960, Truffaut produces and co-directs his second film, a novel-based film, "Shoot, the Piano Player;" which was dramatically different and less sentimentally than "The 400 Blows." This film is a drama about accomplished pianist, named Charlie, who now plays in a bar and keeps to himself after his wife committed suicide. Everything was fine and dandy in Charlie's little life, he even had the attention of a pretty waitress, until one day he got a visit from his low-life, gangster-sought brother. After that things got complicated and Charlie has a chance to be a hero. The tale involves contrasts between the simple pleasures in life and the dramatic effect of girls, gangsters, guns; which reminds one of a Jean-Luc Godard's saying, "All you need to make a movie, is a girl and a gun."

This low budget film did not realize the success at the box office of "400 blows," but it did impress the critics. Some call, "Shoot the Piano Player" Truffaut's masterpiece. His artistry in this film out shines that of Godard's "Breathless," in the sense that it did not rely on star appeal but tells a multi-level story with amazing clarity and conviction. In addition, his consistency of quality is impeccable. From the opening sequence to the last, the story remains poignant. The use of intensity, humor, unpredictability, flashbacks, superior acting, and vivid use of music keeps the viewer attentive. Critics note that "Shoot the Piano Player," is endearing due to the unassuming honesty seen in the main character. This is, perhaps, on of Truffaut's greatest gifts.

In 1965 Godard produced "Pierrot le fou." It is a story of a man who escapes his predictable life and the Mediterranean with the lovely Marianne. All is well until Marianne, like Charlie's brother, is being chased by hit-men. And, following the theme of Breathless, the two lead an unconventional life on the lam. The couple, played by Belmondo and Karina, is dynamic and definitely have chemistry but are too contemporary and rule-breaking to be committed in any meaningful way. The lines between them are unreal and artistic as seen in this exchange, "Why do you look so sad? Because you speak to me in words and I look at you with feelings." As in Breathless, Godard chooses removed long-shots of action sequences but offers more substance in this plot. Perhaps because the main characters are older, their love seems more tortured than teasing. Similar to "400 Blows," Godard plays keep away with the realization of happiness, though his characters are dealing with a wider range of emotion and thought.

[Note: Could add personal thoughts as a conclusion]