Lady Chatterley

This film is © by Kino International, 2007

Starring:

Mariana Hans as Constance Chatterley
Jean-Louis Coulloch as Oliver Parking
Hippolyte Girardot as Clifford Chatterley
Helene Alexandridis as Mrs. Bolton

Directed by: Pascale Ferran

RATING:

French with English Subtitles

This film is a great example of good French cinema. It is also an example of how film can be approached in a totally different way that you often see. An approach often seen in French cinema, the film is displayed with a sense of timing that mirrors real life. In essence, the movie seems like a series of events that are seen almost as if you were looking at real life. This element allows the characters to be very authentic presenting genuine feelings and emotions. This is a story of unfulfilled desire, life without meaning, and social class differences. Mariana Hans is Constance Chatterley, the wife of a crippled man who seems to enjoy very little out of life. Constance world is pretty empty, aside from assisting her handicap husband there's not much else does. Being paralyzed from the waist down, Clifford Chatterley is not able to have sexual relations with his wife and maybe that is why he becomes a cold and miserable person that is tough to be around. This takes a toll on Constance own health, until she starts to look elsewhere for meaning.

Set in the early 1920's the effects of World War I are still in the air in France. Thereis a sharp divide between the world of the affluent and that of the working class. Coming from this world Constance makes a meaningful discovery as she gets to know Oliver Parking, the estates game keeper. At first he is just pleasant company for Constance, this becomes a sexual relationship and ultimately a really deep and emotional relationship. Here lies the strength of the film as it uses its realistic setting and timing to showcase the development of this relationship. It is not until the end when the viewer reflects on how close Constance and Oliver have become that this story of the growth of their relationship becomes fully evident.

The Chatterley estate is beautiful and a great setting for the story. These visual elements enhance the development between Constance and Oliver as they embrace this world even though each plays a different role within it. In contrast Clifford totally removes himself from woods and the fields as his physical condition makes it difficult. Although the movie is three hours long and the story appears to move slowly the end comes surprisingly quickly. This is a trick of the director whose style and way of telling the story makes you forget you are seeing a movie. Perhaps there could have been more to the plot but I think the film is meant to be simple as to not lose the effect created by the director. While the film is in French, the acting does appear to be presented very well and really add to making this story come alive.

This is a pretty good movie and I would recommend it to everyone although I feel the different style presented here may not be liked by some who are used to more pre-packaged effect. The ending seems to leave the viewer questioning it at first but after the point the film is making is that the ending is not important put the story within the film that is the main focus. Again, this is a different approach to film which some people may not like, at first I was a bit perplexed by the ending but after thinking about the film it made much sense. This is definitely something different and really enjoyable as a way to escape the ordinary.