Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne - an an insult turn a good person into a monster? - Victor Khomenko

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Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne - an an insult turn a good person into a monster?

The 1945 Robert Bresson's film touches on interesting psychological observations, but does it really go deep enough, or even in the right direction while examining them?
Some of you might recall the initial conflict setting - when a woman is insulted by her lover, she goes on with her revenge... in process attempting to destroy several lives. Ruthlessly and without any hesitation.
Of course the film builds on the common notion of a woman scorn. That part is obvious. What is not so obvious is the question that apparently did not bother the director - just how far would a normal decent person be prepared to go... no matter how badly scorn.
The director presents the heroine as someone truly affected by the lover's betrayal... and yet, given her following deeds one can't help but wonder if her reaction... and her tear... were more the result of an overblown egotistical, rather than human and loving, nature.
Here we disagreed with my wife. She thought her feelings were genuine and she was simply seeking support, enforcement for her love. My reading is that there was manipulation even at that early stage, the manipulation that was the reflection of her true, cruel nature, and all future events simply built on it, and did not represent any sudden turn.
One could not call that film a masterpiece. Even though important sides of human interaction are being examined, the way it is done is quite primitive, simplistic, and only holds interest for as long as the subject is important, as the characters and their acting is so cardboardish that they would look decidedly laughable in any other film dealing with a lesser subject.
In essence I am glad the film touched on those important issues, as it certainly gave me plenty to chew on - for many hours. And perhaps that is enough to put this work amongst the important films... I am not going to make that determination here. The treat of psychology of human relationship exposed in it shall remain intriguing, even if the wrapper was less that appropriate.

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Topic - Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne - an an insult turn a good person into a monster? - Victor Khomenko 06:40:01 09/07/05 (2)

Re: Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne - an an insult turn a good person into a monster? - patrickU 07:20:35 09/07/05 (1)

I wish you could find it again and give us your fresh impressions - Victor Khomenko 05:57:06 09/08/05 (0)

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