Blaise Pascal

Possibly the most beautiful of Rossellini's "history" films, now available on DVD, and most welcome. The subject matter might seem more likely for Bresson -- the religious and intellectual trials of a 17th century Jansenist -- and indeed this film feels quite Bressonian. With the enormous and unexpected success of "La prise de pouvoir par Louis XIV," Rossellini seems to have discovered a way to make historical films that are at once sober and informative yet at the same time intriguing as dramas of internal conflict and growth. "Blaise Pascal" is probably his most austere film (though visually sumptuous), its external conflict consisting of little more than the vain efforts of Pascal's family to keep him from overwork. And yet one becomes deeply involved in Pascal's conflicts. I saw this wonderful picture shortly after it came out (at the MOMA in New York) and it made a profound impression. I am happy to say that my evergreen memory was not in the least tarnished by a re-viewing.

I think I couldn't have understood this show (if I do understand it) if I had not read Neal Stephenson's The System of the World trilogy, in which he made clear to me that Isaac Newton's scientific investigations were essentially religious -- looking upon the world as a work of G*d, and seeking to understand Him through His works. In this movie, Pascal's life is shown as the conflict between reason and observation -- and the understanding that that the finite mind of man cannot grasp as infinite universe, let alone a vaster G*d that could create everything.

Dry and fascinating.

This film looks really good, if rather overstuffed with the supporting cast and multiple historical props. Think The Three Musketeers or The Flashing Blade. The film is also good at evoking the darker side of the period - superstition, illness and premature death. The familial issues aren't terribly gripping unless you are a real Pascal fan. Some illustrations of Pascal's scientific methods are of interest. Of perhaps less interest to most are the theological and philosophical expositions. In fact, it can be hard sustaining one's attention through the entire 2 and a 1/4 hours. General criticism is that the film lacks historical detail about the wider issues while failing to develop real drama about the personal story. I'd go along with this. Overall, looks good, even too good, but you might need to draw on your reserves to maintain concentration.

Like each biographic film by Roberto Rosselini, Blaise Pascal is a confession about his perspective about world and its meanings , more than portrait of the main leader.

Out of skills or high interest about aspects of Mathematics, I saw this image of Pascal, defined by religious believes and conflicts in Jansenist context as more than pleasant. The grace of image and the beautiful performances, the air of period and the reflection of life episodes are the basic virtues of this film reminding Cartesius at level of acting, colors and atmosphere.

So, pure Rosselini.

Blaise Pascal died at the age of 39 in 1662, a contemporary of René Descartes. We don't hear nearly as much about Pascal as we do about Descartes. Of course Pascal never said anything as memorable as "I think, therefore I am." But he DID say something like "the heart has its reasons which the mind will never know" and "men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" and (my favorite)

"Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere."

It's my favorite because I don't understand it. I can't tell whether Pascal was channeling Euclid or Joseph Campbell was channeling Pascal.

Of course that's neither here nor there. Pascal came from a sort of upper-middle class French family, not overly liked because its Catholocism was at the time démodé. However the kid was a genius. It's impossible to list his achievements which ranged from the material to the philosophical. He has several things named after him -- units of measurement, mathematical tricks, and the like -- and even a spiritual notion called "Pascal's choice." Pascal figured that you could either believe in God and act accordingly -- or not. If God didn't exist, the outcome would be the same, but if he or she DID exist, then believing would get you into heaven, while disbelief would take you elsewhere. I'm vulgarizing all this, naturally. For a fuller analysis, kindly read my forthcoming tome that explains everything, "I, Who Know Nothing."

The movie. Made for TV although you'd never know it. The production design is exquisite. And the actor who portrays Pascal, Pierre Arditi, bears a striking resemblance to the death mask Pascal left behind. He was always sickly, and Arditi gets this across too. He's often too weak to walk unaided, and his head is declined sideway so that it seems almost to be resting on his shoulder. His sickness wasn't feigned either.

Nobody's head is wrenched off, yet it's a very engaging film. Roberto Rossellini has done a fine job of directing it. No point is spelled out in capital letters but only handed to the viewer matter of factly. Did you know that Pascal built one of the first computers, a bread-box sized device that could do arithmatic up to and incuding multiplication? I didn't.