This film reminds me so much of my mother who also was a hard working social striver and had a string (or was it serial monogamy) of useless lovers, one of which was my father. My mom was also was trying to "move up" but this time from her "petit bourgeois" background. Her parents were shopkeepers but she wanted to be an educated professional.
The only reason my mother was successful professionally and did not fall into drink or drugs was that her compulsion was precisely that of being a workaholic and she also dumped the men instead of holding onto them. Perhaps we have made some progress.
After reading so many excellent reviews and comments on the artistic and social merits of the film. I can only add that what we have at the base of this story is the basic yin and yang of the optimistic hardworking person who attracts a series of losers into a miasma that eventually bring her down.
Today its called co-dependency.
I disagree with many other reviewers who believe the film is about alcholism, as any drug or obsessive behavior could be substituted for alcohol. Alcohol is just a part of the social context, the drug of choice for the working class.
As for the social angle, we see the political changes coming in this film, but when they come they will not solve everything either. Today we have a social net that would "welfarise" these people but still will not cure them of their tragic fall from being productive members of society into complete degeneracy.
Is this a tragic fatalistic view of society -- as it appears on first consideration. Are they saying we can never win? Is the "individual" actually able to break through..? Please everyone be aware that the film at no time says "this must to happen to you.." I think it is only Zola and Clement saying that when this is happening it will look like this.
We know life is hard. Gervaise seriously lacked integrity, emotional honesty and was hopelessly co-dependent. Her ever-optimistic point of view was a trap that overlaid her wretched world with kind tolerance, blind spots and small sentimental indulgences that would lead her down the garden path to ruin. Her positivity attracted psychic vampires.
Beware all that believe a positive attitude will fix everything. In the belle epoque, in the postwar years the film was made in, and in the world of today, it still takes a little more.
The only reason my mother was successful professionally and did not fall into drink or drugs was that her compulsion was precisely that of being a workaholic and she also dumped the men instead of holding onto them. Perhaps we have made some progress.
After reading so many excellent reviews and comments on the artistic and social merits of the film. I can only add that what we have at the base of this story is the basic yin and yang of the optimistic hardworking person who attracts a series of losers into a miasma that eventually bring her down.
Today its called co-dependency.
I disagree with many other reviewers who believe the film is about alcholism, as any drug or obsessive behavior could be substituted for alcohol. Alcohol is just a part of the social context, the drug of choice for the working class.
As for the social angle, we see the political changes coming in this film, but when they come they will not solve everything either. Today we have a social net that would "welfarise" these people but still will not cure them of their tragic fall from being productive members of society into complete degeneracy.
Is this a tragic fatalistic view of society -- as it appears on first consideration. Are they saying we can never win? Is the "individual" actually able to break through..? Please everyone be aware that the film at no time says "this must to happen to you.." I think it is only Zola and Clement saying that when this is happening it will look like this.
We know life is hard. Gervaise seriously lacked integrity, emotional honesty and was hopelessly co-dependent. Her ever-optimistic point of view was a trap that overlaid her wretched world with kind tolerance, blind spots and small sentimental indulgences that would lead her down the garden path to ruin. Her positivity attracted psychic vampires.
Beware all that believe a positive attitude will fix everything. In the belle epoque, in the postwar years the film was made in, and in the world of today, it still takes a little more.