Contempt (1963)

Dir. by Jean-Luc Godard

Cast: Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, Fritz Lang

Only the second film from Godard that I have seen, I went in with no knowledge or expectations for whether I would enjoy it. First of all, I am fairly certain that at least for me, this is the kind of film that absolutely requires multiple viewings to fully appreciate. Because I am definitely not there. When the first scene started rolling, I realized that I had seen the clip before in a film class. And I believe that pretty much any time that the camera is moving in this film can be seen as a teaching moment on how to use the camera to tell the story. I don’t know the technical terms, but the lens used on the camera gave a fascinating effect when used indoors with just two characters walking around the house. As these scenes occur, the tracking shots and the blocking of the characters is incredible. From a technical standpoint, this is an extremely exciting film. From a plot progression standpoint, this is a fairly mundane film. The story regarding the making of the film inside the film was honestly kind of boring for me. I didn’t really feel the themes fully fleshed out for me personally, and that is why I think I will need to rewatch. I can tell there is so much beneath the dialogue and story, but I couldn’t possibly put my finger on it at this point. One thing I am sure of is that I was so annoyed by Camille’s character. I literally would not be able to stand any sort of relationship where the other party straight-up refuses to communicate anything. She was driving me crazy, and the end felt somehow like a tragic relief. I don’t feel the confidence to write much more, but this was a brilliantly crafted film that I wish I felt more personal connection to. Hopefully with some more decades on my lifetime, I will feel more of the nuances. As for now, I will continue to enjoy the magnificent filmmaking that is put to screen and read about other people’s interpretations.

7/10