Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: Jean-Luc Godard
Actors: Mireille Darc, Jean Yanne, Jean-Pierre Kalfon
Runtime: 105 min
Rating: NR
Like many films directed by Jean-Luc Godard, Weekend (1967) glories in defying audience expectations. The film opens with harmless and comfortable images, yet it is not long before the movie takes its inevitable dark turn. Full of political statements and French New Wave techniques, Weekend is a darkly comedic film that will shock and enthral.
What begins as an idyllic vacation in the country quickly becomes a descent into madness for young bourgeois couple Corinne (Mireille Darc) and Roland Durand (Jean Yanne). When the two discover that Corinne’s father is on the brink of death, they set out through the French countryside in order to secure their inheritance. Little do they know, however, that each is planning the murder of the other so that they can claim all of the money for themself. As the scheming and irreverent couple travels further on their journey, events become increasingly bizarre, and all conventions of a functioning society crumble before our eyes. Here are two protagonists that an audience cannot like, but who fascinate nonetheless.
Weekend uses many techniques in order to create an unsettling atmosphere and to deliver its political ideas, not least of which is the deliberate use of sound. As the action begins with one of many car crashes, the brooding music and irritating sounds that quickly become an almost constant feature begin. An early scene wherein a woman relates sexually explicit dialogue in an emotionless voice causes an audience to feel terribly uneasy, not only due to her shocking words, but also due to the disconnect between that which she says and the way that she says it. Juxtaposition such as that seen here is a feature of Godard’s work, but it never ceases to achieve its desired effect. It is also interesting to note that by refusing to actually show any of these sexual acts, Godard places his entire emphasis on the spoken word. Breaking with the traditional voyeurism of film, Godard demonstrates the way in which sound, and in this case in particular, dialogue, can have as much of an impact as can images themselves.
For it’s part, much of the imagery within this film is unpleasant as well, as it is full of scenes of death, distress, and destruction. More nuanced than these blatant images, however, is the symbolism that Godard inserts into his work. This film is shot in bright Eastmancolor, and this technical aspect is important as it allows for a reoccurring visual motif that is the use of the colours typically associated with America: red, white, and blue. This reference, coupled with pop art fonts and images, results in a clear critique of America and the commercialist society that Godard believed went along with it. Godard never chooses to show things to his audience in a conventional manner, deciding instead to use the techniques of the French New Wave movement, so ambiguity and abounds and there is much room left for interpretation.
Weekend is a film that sets beauty and humour right beside darkness and violence. Godard has claimed that he wishes for his audiences not to watch his movies, but to engage with and think about them. Straying from conventional narrative structure and offering lengthy interruptions, such as the now-famous traffic jam scene, Godard certainly tells a story, but he also makes a point. The film may open with a scene of comfort, convincing the naïve in the audience that they are in for a pleasant movie-going experience, yet those familiar with Godard’s work certainly know what to expect: the unexpected.
