It's a long while since I've been in the Barbican, where Le Mépris, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, was showing tonight. One night only, for a film that's 50 years old this year and constantly popping up in the listings. Since it's highly rated on IMDB, I was bound to see it eventually, and finally did tonight.
As usual, I had to look up how to get there. It's on the other side of town, so I have several options. Google Maps always gives four choices, and the fastest involved getting the Overground to Shepherd's Bush, then the Tube to St Paul's and a fifteen minute walk. However, for the return journey they suggested taking the Tube the whole way from Barbican Station to my local one, which involves one change. This is a cheaper route, as it's all by Tube rather than adding an Overground journey, for which I'd be charged extra - also, it involves less walking. Which is not something I avoid, but it is very cold out. So that's the way I chose.
When I got there, I had no trouble remembering the way - just cross the road and down the tunnel. The cinemas are on the left. Funnily enough, I got exactly the seat I'd been looking at online. Went to the toilet beforehand - there are only two cubicles, and they're both unisex, for future reference. Anyhow, I just made it nicely in time and took my seat, past two elderly ladies at the end of the row.
I was a bit worried prior to seeing this. You see, it stars Brigitte Bardot. Nothing against the lady, but I had a certain expectation of how she would be represented onscreen. And that is exactly how she was represented in this. Tons of black eyeliner, lots of gratuitous nudity, and very little else to do but pout. The storyline has her married to a writer who's being wooed to write a screenplay for a cartoonishly obnoxious film producer, played by Jack Palance. Her husband seems to be pushing her in the direction of this guy, who leers merrily at her at every opportunity. That, to be fair, gives her reason enough to pout.
Oh, and she fiddles with her hair. Well, actually it starts with her husband fiddling with her hair, as the camera lovingly glides over her naked buttocks. And legs. And buttocks again. And she keeps asking him whether he likes the various bits of her. To which, wisely, he replies in the affirmative. After that, she fiddles with her own hair, as the marriage deteriorates. Well, and she gets a wig at some point, just for a change, and fiddles with that. Mind you, I would hate to pick on her - the only other woman in the film that has a main role spends a substantial portion of her time fiddling with her own hair.
I do wonder whether Godard didn't have a crush on BB, considering that practically every time she's on screen, or we're asked to be sympathetic to her, they bring out the strings. Now, it's a lovely piece of music, but I started to groan every time it came on, because we were going to be focusing on HER again. And there was no variation to the music! no different parts. Just the same melody, over and over.
I came out with the impression that I'd just seen something very stylish, with a lovely bit of music. And that I was very glad it was over! (And yes, I did sigh with relief when SPOILER ALERT she and Jack Palance were killed in a car crash.) The elderly ladies outside me, on the other hand, were waxing lyrical about how beautiful she was. Sorry, I didn't see anything special about her. Nice figure, yes. Very heavily made-up. Dye Cheryl Cole's hair blonde and cake her in eye makeup and she'd be a dead ringer. Or any number of other ladies in the public eye. And that hairstyle! Bird's nest doesn't describe it.
Watching the video montage from the film that accompanies the above clip on YouTube, the film looks a lot better than it is. And it's a pity, because watching it, I can appreciate how much more sympathy I'd have felt for her character if she had done anything throughout the film but sulk and behave like a spoilt child, if she had made some of her own decisions. And the scenery is gorgeous. Hey-ho. Tomorrow is Saving Mr. Banks, which, ironically, is set around the same period, but of course was made much more recently. I'm sure we won't see Emma Thompson twiddling her hair while she negotiates a film deal for her book..
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