Gabrielle
Anyone in search of that good, old-fashioned French-movie atmosphere ought to make a point of seeing Gabrielle, a film made two years ago by Patrice Chéreau. Based on Joseph Conrad's story, "The Return" (which I've now got to dig up), the film concerns the end of a marriage. A woman leaves her husband for a man whom she loves, but turns around on her way and comes back, not because she has changed her mind about her lover, but because she fears that, after years of stunted life with her husband, she won't be able to love him back. The husband, meanwhile, comes home early from work and reads the now-unnecessary note. He goes through every range of reaction, from rage to tears to bland acceptance.
The story has been given hieratic treatment. Jean (Pascal Greggory) staggers through his huge town house (part of the Gare de l'Est?) while Gabrielle (Isabelle Huppert) floats in resigned desperation. There are the couple's worldly guests and there is also a flock of housemaids and kitchenmaids. Yvonne (Claudia Coli) is a sort of head housemaid (although she's a young woman) with whom Gabrielle has obscure conversations. Every now and then, an immense title card is superimposed on the action, announcing a dramatic statement ("Restez!"). Fabio Vacchi's portentous score promises melodramatic developments that tend not to materialize. This would be annoying if it were not for the hypnotism practiced by the filmmaker and his cast.
Gabrielle is not a long movie, but uninitiated American viewers probably won't make it through - so you'll have that satisfaction.
