Original Title: Une femme est une femme
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Anna Karina, Jean-Claude Brialy, Jean-Paul Belmondo
Runtime: 84 min
Rating: R
It is no wonder that this film is celebrated as one of Godard’s best creations. A simple story with simple characters and settings makes for one of the most charming and entertaining pieces ever to come out of Godard’s work. It creates light-hearted comedy perfectly acted by Godard regular Anna Karina and the silently charming Jean-Claude Brialy.
A Woman is a Woman is the story of Angela (Anna Karina) and Émile (Jean-Claude Brialy), a young couple living together in a small but charming apartment. Angela is a striptease artist, and Émile works in a bookstore. As of late, Angela has become desperate to get pregnant and have a baby, but Émile rejects the proposition, and, tired of Angela’s pleads, he suggests that she becomes impregnated by their friend Alfred. Although the proposition is made jokingly, Émile might have gone too far, and Angela may just take him up on it.
There is no Godard film that is as charming, enjoyable, and simple as A Woman is a Woman. Everything about it is a recipe for success: the musical aspects, the physical comedy, the vibrant colours, and, of course, the sublime Anna Karina. She and Jean-Claude Brialy have perfect chemistry, and the audience can’t help but root for the young couple, secretly wishing that Brialy would just give in to his beautiful girlfriend’s wishes. Their chemistry with Jean-Paul Belmondo is also fantastic, and they make for a playful and entertaining trio that could have done with much more screen time.
The physical comedy in this film is absolutely fantastic. Physical comedy is often quite a sensitive topic with serious filmgoers, who have come to consider it an inferior form. Godard, however, demonstrates exactly how characters should interact with their environment in order to create a type of comedy that is absolutely creative and entertaining. Karina and Brialy’s ability to move around their assigned space is delightful to watch, and their small apartment space is definitely used to maximum effect. It also makes their already playful relationship feel all the more special. It has been noted in several interviews that Godard doesn’t really stick to a hard script, so it is wonderful to think that this dynamism is a product of the actors’ talents as much as of Godard’s mind.
Seeing Godard’s take on a musical is entertaining as well. One need not be alarmed by the fact that the music only plays when the characters aren’t speaking, and that there is no singing. It retains that playful element that characterizes musicals, and it’s an absolutely charming alternative to a genre that is otherwise deeply rooted in conventions. The soundtrack is spirited and joyful, and it very much suits the overall ambience of the film.
It’s very interesting to think that A Woman is a Woman could easily be a very serious film, if certain elements were to be changed. The film’s plot could have turned quite glum if Godard had decided to follow his usual documentary-style filming. This is, however, possibly one of Godard’s most stylized films, and although it is one that lacks the political discourse that often lies behind his work, it is one of his most successful creations, both as a piece of art and as a piece of entertainment. A Woman is a Woman is one of those films that will have you grinning from ear to ear, and make you believe in the magic of cinema all over again.
