Here's a few thoughts about Contempt that we didn't discuss in class.
First of all, did anyone else think it was odd how quickly Paul's wife turned on him? They went from being madly in love then he commits one alleged mistake and she's done with him. Even though the way they argue during the middle scene was realistic, I didn't find it realistic that his offense was truly unforgivable.
Another thing, I found Paul's internal dilemma reflected a broader theme of growing up, having dependents, in this case his wife, and losing idealism. Paul, like most artists, started out doing what he loved, but not making a lot of money. He was a playwright, but shifted to films so he could make money to give his wife what she wanted. The producer even says early in the film that he will take the money because he has a pretty wife. Paul's story is parallel to thousands of artists, be it writers or musicians, who have to either adjust to more financially lucrative activities or give up their hobbies in exchange for something that makes money. The public tends to throw out the term "sell out" quite a bit when referring to musicians who do what they need to do to make a buck, and Paul could be seen under this same lens. I don't think this label is fair, but it is certainly a common tale for artists. This may have reflected the same dilemma that Godard was facing as he took on his first big budget film which presumably landed him a fat pay check
No comments:
Post a Comment