A very Long Engagement released in 2004 by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the same writer and director that brought you classics like (my favourite) Le Fabuleux Destin d' Amelie Poulain - Amelie, and La cite de enfants perdus – The City of Lost Children, brought a film that exceeded both before it; as far as film quality and gripping film noir and cinematic content is concerned. Noticing that he used the same actors in his movies, they are always able to re-invent themselves well, and blended in quite fine into the World War 1 era. Every character had such unique idiosyncrasies and splendor that it was difficult to not invest in any one of their stories or journeys.Very many wonderful surprises in this film; the one that topped my list would have to be Jodie Foster playing one of the main characters as Elodie Gordes and speaking proper French without the slightest giveaway that she is indeed an American from Los Angeles! She is always phenomenal and always plays such exciting and strong woman characters and she added to her repertoire in making a powerful appearance in this film. Another grand surprise in the film; although not really as astounding as the first would be that French actress and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard would also play an important vixen who sought revenge for her lover who died in the war; her character was Tina Lombardi and she was sprinkled throughout with her fierce antics and with a touching last monologue at her end.
There are so many things I can say about Jean-Pierre's execution of this film that it's not easy knowing where to start. I love the beginning opening credit sequence, with only a cold and old wall with rain falling on it as the backdrop to the opening transition of the film. As in most of his films, Jeunet tends to paint his characters lives, likes and dis-likes to establish scenes. I was in love with war cemetery scene, as I find cemeteries in general to be quite fascinating. I also adored the scene with the long grass in the meadow blowing in the wind.
I learnt a bit about war I suppose; for these type of films would never be my first to watch because of the violence. I don't handle the sight of blood too well, as I feel as though I adopt the pain of the person injured; but what was interesting to me was that in order for men to return home, they had to be injured, and many men apparently would try getting out of the war by inflicting wounds, what was stranger is that all the men shoot themselves with purpose in the palm of their hands, and the irony of this is that in one of the opening scenes, the camera zoomed out from a nail through the palm of Christ's hands, on the cross, what was left behind after some severe destruction. Hands in general seemed to have an enormous effect throughout the film, was the young solider Manech played by Gaspard Ulliel whom had proposed to the lovely Audrey Tatou who played Mathilde made the statement that every time his wound throbbed he could feel her heart in the palm of his hand.
"…each time his wound throbs Manech feels Mathilde's heart in his palm. Each beat brings her closer to him. If Manech were dead, Mathilde would know since the death notice, she stubbornly holds on to her intuition like a flimsy wire. She never gets discouraged, and Mathilde is of cheerful disposition. If that wire doesn't lead her to her lover, never mind, she can always use it as a noose."
Stunning moments that director Jean-Pierre Jeunet kept going back to was the MMM which stood for Manech Mariez Mathilde – Manech marry's Mathilde; which Manech carved on many things throughout to show Mathilde how happy and proud he was to marry her. Another divine moment was the seagull in flight; both Manech and Mathilde enjoyed watching it from the top of a beautiful light-house. And this shot was brought back several times throughout the film.
The violin music was poignant and would certainly grip at the audience's heart-strings seeing that it was somber during the time period of so many men lost and injured. I have seen many directors use this strategy of mixing destruction with beauty as extreme opposites which somehow always tends to work well.
Charming pieces of writing sprinkled throughout which would suffice the content of the film are:
"…an Indian princess on her elephant with her hunters on the trail of sorrow…"
"…the sun, the sky, and nature are with her. As a true lady, she made every effort to look her best, dressed in white for freshness, lipstick for the occasion, eyebrows shaped, but none of that black which lengthens the eyelashes, she knows that tears can make a mess of it…"
And my favourite at the very end, when Mathilde is finally reunited after so long, after so much discouragement, disappointment, and sometimes little hope, the narrator says:
"Mathilde leans back in her chair, folds her hands in her lap and looks at him. In the sweetness of the air, in the light of the garden, Mathilde looks at him…she looks at him…she looks at him…"
It is rare when movies are made of such caliber, of a love that is true, of times that are hard, and of exquisite cinematography and quality of film, that is a delight for all who watch! J
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