Masculin Feminin
Jean-Luc Godard uses his film Masculin Feminin to expose the
inner nature and passion within humans and the corresponding actions
that follow. Many aspects of this movie play with the idea that people
are rash and animialistic and carry out there emotional desires. In the
opening scene of the film, while Paul and Madeleine are talking
in the diner, there is a fight in the background between a man and a
woman. The audience assumes that the couple is married, because of the
presence of their son.
Here is the conversation that we are privy to:
Man: "You're a bitch."
Woman: "I'm sick of your insults!"
Man: "That's your look-out, you slut, you don't know what you want."
Woman: "Yes I do!
Man: "Let go of Patrick, I'm taking him!"
After this the man tries to leave with their son. The woman pulls a gun out of her bag and kills her husband in the street.
According
to this moment, Godard wants the film to showcase the most raw part of
our human nature. When a couple fights, normally one party does not
shoot the other one, especially in public. But the director chooses to
demonstrate how passionate and emotional people, possibly particularly
French people, are when he or she acts out what they feel. Godard's use
of scare dialogue and only allowing the viewer to see a snippet of their
story means that he wants the audience to only see this part of the
exchange; all the audience knows is that a woman shot a man after a
brief scuttle- something extremely rash and full of human emotion.
During this moment, which only lasts about thirty seconds, there is one
continuous shot. Because this single shot is our complete view of these
people, it highlights the importance of this particularly moment in the
man and woman's life. The idea that Godard wants to expose human nature's primitive emotions and actions is further bolstered in Masculin Feminin by the scenes surrounding sex and the youth of France in the 1960's.
Zachary, your post is incredibly intriguing to me. I did not even consider your perspective, as I had a completely opposite view of Godard’s intentions in his film, but I really like where you are coming from. In your eyes, Godard’s intentions are to reveal that people are rash and animalistic and carry out their emotional desires, as exemplified by the scene you choose where the wife shoots her husband. Contrary to your viewpoint, I see Godard’s film in a larger picture as an expression of the complexity of human emotions. Generally, I think the dialogue exchanged amongst the characters is quite on the surface, with the exception of Paul who works diligently to try to find more meaning. I just do not think any emotional desires are truly carried out in the film, as the relationship between Paul and Madeleine never reaches any level of emotional depth, at least as displayed on screen. The moment of the woman shooting her husband just outside the restaurant, after only getting a glimpse into their relationship, just shows a moment into another multifaceted, complicated relationship, yet we are given no explanation for the death. Additionally, we do not find out the consequences after the instance. I believe the film, especially surrounding moments involving Paul, may show emotional desire, but Godard aims to show a struggle and inability to carry out desire and connection. I do not think Godard wants to solely expose the rawness of our humanity, he works to also convey a sense of disconnect, but in Paul’s case, a yearning for identity and a more meaningful existence. I just did not see anything primitive about Godard’s film, I viewed the incomplete moments as an absence of depth for the characters in his story. I see his intentions as a way to reveal a struggle and search for meaning in a dull and lifeless world.
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Interesting debate! I had not thought about that scene as revealing "primitive" emotions, but I think you might be picking up on a theme we haven't explored with this film yet. It might be interesting to flesh out other scenes re: primitive, raw emotions and see what you can come up with. For example, there is a scene where Catherine (I think) is eating a green apple (perhaps a gesture toward the first fall of wo/man). I also think Rachel is correct in noting that "Godard aims to show a struggle and inability to carry out desire and connection. I do not think Godard wants to solely expose the rawness of our humanity, he works to also convey a sense of disconnect..." What is particularly interesting in this scene is Paul and Madeleine's LACK of response. The woman lingers over her husband's body for a few moments. No one rushes outside and tries to assist the man or apprehend the woman.
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