Summary
Valentine is an attractive young fashion model living in Geneva. Whilst driving
home one evening, she accidentally runs over a dog. From the dog’s collar tag, Valentine
finds the address of its owner, a retired judge who, she discovers, taps the telephone
conversations of his neighbours. Although initially shocked by the judge’s cynical
attitude to life, Valentine gradually begins to develop an affection for the reclusive
old man...
Review
The final instalment in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s "Three Colours" trilogy marks not just
the end of this remarkable series of films but also the end of the Polish director’s impressive
film-making career. Shortly after making this film, 53-year old Kieslowski announced
his decision to give up directing films, making this film far more significant than it
would otherwise have been.
None of this alters the fact that Trois couleurs: Rouge is a magnificent film in
its own right, some would argue an unqualified masterpiece. It is many ways the
best of the "Three Colour" films, less emotionally charged than "Bleu", more conventional
than "Blanc", but a thoroughly compelling work of cinema. It is not just one of
Kieslowski’s finest accomplishments, it is also arguably his most satisfying film.
From the astonishing opening pictures which chase a telephone conversation through a complex
telecommunications channel, the audience is hooked. This is indeed a film about
communication, in a world where people find it hard to talk to one another. A retired
judge has no company and has to resort to eavesdropping his neighbour’s telephone conversations.
A young fashion model is separated from her boyfriend and her family, and her telephone
calls with them are always fraught and unsatisfying. The same model lives
next door to a young man who is living out exactly the same life the judge she has befriended
did 30 years earlier. Separate lives united, not by dialogue, but by the caprice
of chance.
These ideas form the basis for a mesmerising romantic tale in which the driving force
is, apparently, the need to be together, to share experiences. This recurring theme
of fraternity crystallises magnificently in the film’s memorable last few minutes.
This daring denouement does not just unite the various plot strands in this film, but
it also brings in the main characters from the preceding two films in the "Three Colours"
trilogy. Although a little contrived, the result is a satisfying experience.
Trois couleurs: Rouge also appears to have the character of a chilling ghost story.
Echoes of the past abound, past lives being relived in the parallel strand of the young
lawyer who is cheated by his girlfriend. The sober photography, with its rich red
and brown tones, has an almost gothic horror feel to it, with Valentine appearing to be
the naïve vulnerable heroine drawn inescapably into a dangerous world. This
extra dimension, of an impending threat (which does indeed materialise, but not in the
way anyone would expect) is probably what makes the film so compelling. The film
is not intentionally a suspense thriller, but it sometimes feels that it ought to be.
In addition to the creative genius of Kieslowski and his talented photography director
Piotr Sobocinski, the film benefits greatly from the remarkable performances of its two
stars, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Irène Jacob. Trintignant, a stalwart of
French cinema, best known for his appearance in Claude Lelouch’s 1966 film Un homme
et une femme, achieves a moving combination of menace and pathos in his role as the
retired judge. Irène Jacob, previously known for her leading role in Kieslowski’s
earlier film La Double vie de Véronique, is engaging and tender, the perfect
foil to her co-star’s apparent coldness. The interaction between the two lead actors
just feels perfectly spot on, lending no end of poignancy to this haunting spiritual love
story.
© James Travers 2001
See also:
Trois Couleurs: Bleu
Trois Couleurs: Blanc
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