A Very Long Engagement

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Sébastien Japrisot, this film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet has very effectively translated the dramatic potential from the pages to screen. Set after the First World War, the story is about a young woman’s search for her fiancée, whom she believes to be alive despite overwhelming evidence and accounts indicating otherwise. Mathilde sets about investigating the true fate of Manech and the other four soldiers sentenced to death for self-mutilation and on the way reveals the painful secrets of the trenches and the suffering of loved ones back home.

A clever amalgamation of mystery, love and war stories, ‘A Very Long Engagement’ paints a vivid picture of war- and post war-France. The idea that love triumphs all adversity may seem hackneyed, but this film does not present it as a didactic message. Love is shown to be expressed in many different ways: in revenge (Tina) and in denial (Veronique), both being extreme reactions towards the lost of their loved ones. Mathilde tows the middle-line and through many toils brings her to success. Despite their obvious differences, one constantly feels freemasonry among these women beleaguered by the crushing fist of war. Tied inevitably to love is the idea of death and suffering. The suffering of the women parallels the suffering of the men in war. Portrayed as unique individuals, the five soldier doomed to die are shown to be the helpless victims of merciless and heartless war and authority. Although not shown explored in their entirety, these ideas, when dealt with, are brought across clearly and with considerable impact.

The idea of mystery shapes the narrative of the film and the methods through which the eventual truth unfolds. Japrisot used the third person narrative in the novel and Jeunet skilfully capitalised on it. The movie is framed within an omniscient narrative which frequently interjects to describe the feelings of character. This voice also has a great eye for details, which constantly highlights the underlying idea that the characters are but weak individuals swept around by forces beyond their control, hence making their determination even more admirable. To this purpose, Jeunet makes no qualms about spending minutes to show seemingly trivial, and emotionally charged moments. In addition, like most mystery novels, the film is made up of patches of evidence and accounts relating to the war. Although not all information received by Mathilde is relevant, the colourful details found in the letters and conversations serve to provide a kaleidoscopic picture of contemporary France. The cinematography is also very recognisably Jeunet, with its frequent use of montages. The film oscillates between the present and the past and between characters, providing the audience with a visual puzzle. This method insists that the audience participates in Mathilde’s confusion and involves the audience in solving the mystery of Manech’s fate.

Starring Audrey Tautou (‘Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain’) and Gaspard Ulliel, the acting in this film is fairly impressionable. Tautou, with her usual virtuosity, is capable of bringing out the rapid emotional changes in Mathilde who vacillates between despair and hope. She successfully portrays those moments of optimism, which surfaces with new leads, when every trace of worry is suddenly swept off her face. Ulliel has relatively less screen time to portray a wide variety of roles, but his portrayal of Manech’s change from an innocent enamoured puppy to a shell-shocked victim is deeply poignant and depressing. Accompanying the cast is a well-suited film score, although it is far from impressive. Scored mostly for strings, the music is slow and broad, adequately reflecting the sense of fate that the film is wrought with.

The book is currently available in various libraries over Singapore. Unfortunately, the film is not stocked by any library; it can, however, be bought at a low price of $19.95 at HMV.

Anon.