Existential realism The outstanding American director John Jost, of course, is unknown to the general audience. And film fans rarely remember him, but without this master, the picture of American independent cinema will be clearly incomplete. The United States in his films appear exclusively from the non-parade side, at the same time, Jost is not so much interested in everyday writing or the social cross-section of American society, which was characteristic of other independent directors of the 1960-1970s, ranging from Dennis Hopper to Bob Rafelson. The director is most attracted to existential themes, because he chooses such stories that allow to highlight the problems of the existence of people in American realities. This director is a true European, so it is not surprising that he lived for a long time outside the United States, and shot films wherever he could get any funding.
Of John Jost’s extensive legacy (for 50 years he made more than 35 films), the most famous of his films of 1990-1993, filmed with the money of arthouse film producer Henry S. Rosenthal. It was they who provided Jost with the prizes of the Berlin Film Festival and so made his name known not only in the narrow environment of American intellectuals.
Anna Berashed’s film is another distilled drama, according to the ingenious definition of the film critic Gerbus, without a deep penetration into the psyche of the future mother, which was just the difference between Ingmar Bergman’s film Voyage to Agatis. Art is conceived as a means of communication, as if in accordance with the theory of the brilliant psychologist L. S. Vygotsky, in the interpretation of an artistic act with many other people. Despite the semi-amateur background of most of his films, John Jost is far better than many other independent directors at reflecting the concerns of average Americans. The main thing for Jost is a person, and this brings him closer to the masters of the European existential school in the person of Ingmar Bergman, Michelangelo Antonioni, as well as the authors of the French “new wave”. John Jost experienced a certain influence of Jean-Luc Godard, especially in the field of form, because he dedicated the documentary Godard 1980 to him. At the same time, Josta was not interested in politics, and he always successfully combined formalism with an interest in the inner life of his characters.
For those who were already familiar with the work of Jost during his brief collaboration with Henry S. Rosenthal, his film “Diamond Bell”, shot with the help of a grant for national artists, may seem a very modest work. After all, in the center of the plot, the family is husband Jeff and wife Katie, who after seven years of marriage suddenly decide to divorce. They are typical American inhabitants, making up the majority of absolutely any settlement. Jeff spends all his free time watching baseball, and Katie does the housework. Jost perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the routine existence of people, when life seems meaningless, there are no plans or romance, and family responsibilities are perceived as a second job. Most of these people live without being able to break the cycle. But Katie decided to leave Jeff, and this news first brought her husband out of a semi-vegetative state. He can't understand what's wrong with her, because he works, doesn't beat her, doesn't cheat. They seem to live like everyone else. But at the same time, the characters do not communicate with each other and exist as good neighbors.
John Jost, who served 21 months in prison for evading military service, also introduces an anti-war theme. After all, Jeff is a Vietnam War veteran who has not found a place in peace. Unlike Travis Binkle ("Taxi Driver"), he doesn't seek justice or suffer from paranoia like the character in Conspiracy Theory. However, it is no coincidence that Jeff's friends are afraid that he may break down, because in the war he had to kill.
At the same time, Jeff is not an evil person. He simply chose an apathetic attitude towards life. A country with its capitalist values does not seek to help it find itself in peacetime. It's easier for social workers to leave Jeff alone with his problems than to listen and try to understand. Therefore, the departure of his wife for him as the collapse of the whole universe, because it was she who did not let Jeff finally sink to the bottom of idleness and alcoholism.
John Jost, known for his penchant for formalism, is quite realistic, and the visual series is deliberately traditional. The director looks at his hero, trying to catch the changes that have occurred in him. Jeff is alienated, he doesn't need society anymore, because all he can think about is Katie. The loss of social ties is an important factor, often leading to irreversible personality changes. A person who is crushed by his grief, having experience in solving problems by force, often becomes dangerous, which often results in mass murder. At the same time, the love for Katie and the hope that she will change her mind and return to him prevents Jeff from crossing a dangerous line. He struggles with himself, overcomes the shortcomings of his character in order to change for the better. But Katie loves Jeff, so she decides to visit him. And he seems to be cleaning the house for the first time to please her with cleanliness. His love for his wife is stronger than his passion for baseball and beer. She is that web, if you remember the plot of the novella Akutagawa Ryunoske, which helps him get out of the bottom of life.
Despite the seeming simplicity of the story, “Diamond Bell” is truly a diamond not only in the filmography of a little-known genius, but in all American independent cinema. In marriage, as in human relationships in general, it is very important to think not only about yourself, but also about the other person. By paying attention, we ultimately gain more than we gave. If Jean-Paul Sartre was convinced that “Hell is others,” Ingmar Bergman argued that “the others are not hell, but our salvation.” The other person is a mirror through which we can see ourselves. And love is the only force that can heal even souls that seem to have died. During the forced breakup, Jeff was able to rethink his life. It is also important for Katie to feel that her husband loves her, that she is important to him. Following Ingmar Bergman, who directed Scenes from Married Life 13 years earlier, John Jost explores the breakdown of a family. The only way to overcome total alienation is to talk to each other. And although words, as F.I. Tyutchev correctly wrote, are not capable of expressing the soul of a person, the power of the feelings contained in them cannot but find the way to the heart. After all, close souls communicate in the same language and are able to understand each other even in silence.
The finale of the film, where Jeff meets Katie at the station and his face is illuminated by a smile, is optimistic. The director believes that they will be able to overcome the crisis of family life and find the strength to save the marriage. They are connected by love, and this bright feeling is quite able to help overcome differences. Learn to listen and try to understand.
9 out of 10