The world is constantly changing, but some things remain unchanged. The famous French playwright and novelist Pierre Carlet de Chamblin de Marivo is known for creating his own literary style, known among connoisseurs as Marivodage. Departing from the classical theatrical presentation of plays performed with masks and pretentious costumes, Marivo presented his thoughts through gallant speech and deep, multifaceted conversations that convey meaning and emotions directly, without unnecessary burdensome symbolism. During his long writing career, Marivo wrote several dozen plays, novels and novels, but his name will forever be associated with “False Confessions”, a sparkling pearl of the playwright’s work, which combined everything that the author had accumulated in his mind for so long. False Confessions first appeared on the stage on March 16, 1737, but true recognition for Marivo and his play came much later. The sharp, topical language with notes of modern foundations seemed to the public unnecessarily revolutionary, and yet the inexorable changes in society put “False Confessions” on its rightful place in history, and at the same time immortalized Pierre de Marivaux in the lists of the most worthy writers of France for all time. Exquisite, sophisticated, intelligent colloquial play was able to retain its dignity through the centuries, and theaters around the world at least once in decades put it in the program, inviting only talented directors and not the last performers who are able to give Marivo the due honor. Not bypassed “False Confessions” and the cinema, which released several variations of Marivo’s play, among which was the version from Luke Bondi.
The beauty of “False Confessions” is that despite the age of writing the original source, it can easily be taken out of Marivo’s allotted century and transferred to any era, which Bondi used. Leaving the stormy aristocratic passions in the past, the director placed the action of the plot in more understandable times to his contemporaries, in order to confirm the prescient ideas of Marivo, which have no statute of limitations. So, the plot of the film introduces us to a young man named Dorant, who is not the first year looking at the charming widow Araminta, who bound his heart with inseparable tangles. It would seem, well, what can be easier in the modern world than the disclosure of feelings, but the true gentleman Dorant and the lady of the highest category Araminta cannot shake off the shackles of the old foundations of society, since their well-being directly depends on them. Unfortunately, heart desire alone is not enough to achieve the location and understanding of loved ones, and at the same time to ensure a comfortable existence until old age. Maybe it does not want to understand Dorant, but his calculating uncle has a completely different view of his nephew, seeing in his attraction to Aramint the opportunity to get close to Marton, a longtime friend and business colleague of the beautiful widow. But this love passions of two unhappy hearts do not end, as the mother of Araminta just found a suitable party for her daughter, much more profitable than the romantic Dorant.
Taking on the modernization of the immortal work of Pierre de Marivo, director and screenwriter Luke Bondi in all its glory showed that the world changes every day, but some moments remain inviolable, from which we all repeatedly face intractable problems. Both the original play and its film adaptation make their way into the plot with the help of a subtle colloquial manner of narration, leaving active action at the mercy of other works. Luke Bondi was faced with a really difficult task, because it is very difficult to keep the audience in constant attention when nothing out of the ordinary happens on the screen. There is no chase, deafening madness, chase. Adhering to the beginning and end of the artistic style of Pierre de Marivaux, the director builds the narrative with the accuracy of the sapper, checking each area of space before stepping further. And from this picture at the same time fascinates, and slows down its pace. The fear of departing from the playwright’s canons is laudable, but since Bondi took up our time, he must have realized that the dynamics, lifestyle and motivations had to undergo much greater changes. Although on the other hand, watching the passions of centuries ago in modern conditions is no less interesting.
Luke Bondi was incredibly lucky that the main roles in his picture were incredible Louis Garrel and Isabelle Huppert. A young and incredibly talented Frenchman managed to teach his hero Dorant a surprisingly attractive, thorough man who is not going to play games, but tries to show himself as he is. Dorante, played by Garrel, knows when to release a proper compliment. He knows how to competently feel the situation, reliably hiding inside the real feelings that at one time or another overcome his heart. Dorant is not going to look different than his uncle would like. The guy has a mercantile, mundane goal tied to prosperity and well-being. Yes, he goes to her, but he does it in his own way, that is, honestly, without unnecessary dramatic turns, in which there is no falsehood. Thanks to this, the hero of Louis Garrel disposes of himself, and even makes the audience empathize with his soulful throwing, which this time can lead to anything. Of course, some of the decisions made by the hero are surprising, but it is impossible to call him dishonest with all desire. Dorant remains a gentleman and will be one no matter what.
Magnificent Isabelle Huppert, already an elderly, status actress, presented her heroine to Aramint from the wisdom of the years lived. However, together with the experience of Aramint, she is not without the malleability of heart feelings. There were many experiences in her life, and the mature years turned into a real tragedy, and yet the attention from the young Dorant makes her feel welcome again. But rushing headlong into the pool of passions does not work even for her, since Araminta has too many responsibilities to just take and dissolve in the arms of a young guy. And public morality, despite the free worldview of the modern world, will not give either Aramint or Dorant peace. Their relationship is a complex construct that is not easy to analyze. Isabelle Huppert did everything possible to make her character come out as human, vulnerable and understandable as possible. At the same time, her character is complex, you can not play banal games with him, and she herself will not allow this. Thus, Louis Garrel received as a partner the most worthy contender. And she knows exactly how to act out the drama and not slide into banality.
In conclusion, I want to say that “False Confessions” quite adequately conveys the spirit and motives of the original source from Pierre de Marivo. Maybe the director should have been more courageous and try to move away from the classic motifs of the playwright, reshaping the play to the peculiarities of the modern rhythm of life, but this circumstance almost does not detract from the qualitative merits of the production.
7 out of 10