DVD Hiroshima Mon Amour
Often thought of as a frontrunner of the French New Wave movement, alongside Truffaut’s Les quatre cents coups and Godard’s Á bout de soufflé, Alain Resnais’ Hiroshima Mon Amour was once described by Godard as “the first film without any cinematic references,” such was its originality. Indeed, Resnais’ use of jump cuts and miniature flashbacks within a non-linear narrative structure were highly innovative. In Hiroshima Mon Amour, which was originally intended to be a documentary about the worst bombing of the 20th century, Resnais explores the idea of memories and whether it is truly possible to forget tragedy, as well as the idea of love as an ultimately destructive force.
"It is exquisitely photographed and expertly framed."
Hiroshima Mon Amour concerns two people, simply referred to as ‘She’ and ‘He’, during the course of their very short affair over a 36-hour period. She (Emmanuelle Riva) is a French actress starring in a film about Hiroshima and He (Riva, Eiji) is a Japanese architect whose family was in Hiroshima on the day of the bombing on August 6th 1945.
At the beginning of the film, She, in a voice-over, recounts the bombing of Hiroshima over documentary images of the devastation, whilst He contradicts much of what she says, telling her that she “saw nothing of Hiroshima.” Following this, Resnais establishes the relationship between them, during which time She recounts a love affair she had a with a German soldier during the war, which resulted in her head being shaved and being locked in the cellar as punishment for the shame it brought to her family. Although the affair between the actress and the architect is brief, it is emotionally charged and they wonder whether they will ever see one another again…
Opening with the image of two bodies entwined in close-up, it is clear that Hiroshima Mon Amour is concerned with the notion of tactility and the way in which senses can evoke certain memories. This opening image is then intercut with harrowing documentary footage of the Hiroshima atrocity and the romantic image of touching skin gives way to the image of burning flesh. As She recounts the horrors of Hiroshima, her speech is punctuated with repetitive phrases and questions, such as: “Who are you? You are good for me. You are destroying me.” Not only does this repetition elevate the dialogue and give it an unusually poetic structure, the phrases and questions also serve to link the devastation of Hiroshima to the way a person can be destroyed by love, a connection that is reinforced by the film’s title.
The film then changes tone dramatically, as the entwined bodies come to life and the conversation, in typical New Wave style, becomes more natural. As the couple lie in bed, they discuss their lives and their feelings; the whole time the camera lingers on and illuminates her face in close-up and the viewer, like He, cannot help but be mesmerised by her beauty. This is one of the many strengths of Resnais’ work: every shot is so perfectly framed that each frame could exist as a photograph on its own.
It is hardly surprising that Resnais spends so much time with She. Emmanuelle Riva gives a powerful performance, which is rendered even more astounding when one considers that this was her debut performance. The way in which she conveys the trauma of her past love and her subsequent imprisonment by her family is truly captivating. Such is force of these memories that She transfers her feelings onto He, casting him in the role of her German lover. The intensity of her emotional recall increases to a crescendo that only subsides when He slaps her twice across the face. This sudden action is not just an abrupt jolt to her, it is also a jolt to the viewer, who has become utterly engrossed in her story, and that is largely due to the strength of Riva’s performance. It is impossible not to be moved by the way in which she struggles to compose herself after telling her story. It takes all her strength not to cry until she collapses against the wall, as if overwhelmed by the weight of her own emotions.
In contrast to the highly emotive middle section of the film, the final few scenes where She is at the station ready to depart are wonderfully serene. As they are separated by an old lady who sits between them on a bench, the couple are an image of touching restraint as they snatch quick glances at one another until He wordlessly passes her his cigarette case over the head of the old lady. Even when they aren’t saying anything to each other, or even looking at one another, it is still clear that that they wholly adore each other.
Hiroshima Mon Amour is a magnificent film. It is exquisitely photographed and expertly framed, with captivating performances from its protagonists. A highly moving film, it is impossible not to be enthralled by it – a true masterpiece of French cinema.
By Sarah Hill
Sarah Hill has an MA in Screening Europe. She has
contributed to a variety of publications, mainly on…
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