L'homme de désir

Let's be frank: there's a lot to unpack here, and definitely more fifty years on than there was in 1971. What in some measure could be seen and more or less begins as simply the obsession of a cozy middle-class couple, and the husband especially, with providing for or "saving" a delinquent youth, quickly reveals a transparent queer subtext which is ultimately all but completely dropped as the themes become more overt. Effusive paragraphs could be and have been written dissecting these notions alone, let alone questions of relationships of one nature or another between adults and minors, and that subsequently turns into a can of worms provoking discussion of ideas that are increasingly unrelated to the film at hand. And all this is to say nothing of how this is rather middling for a fair portion of at least the first half, somewhat spinning its wheels with its low-key tone until an arbitrarily determined point at which the picture simultaneously moves forward once more and dismisses the thought of "subtext" for the underlying concepts. With all this having been said, all the loftier Ivory Tower intellectualism with which I've seen some folks approach analysis of this movie becomes even more questionable than it already was in light of how plainspoken most of the content is or becomes. Suffice to say that 'L'homme de désir' is on the more artful and ruminative side of cinema, declining any fragment of instant gratification that some viewers may require even as it carries itself as a more conventional drama with mild "thriller" airs. However much one wishes to sit and plumb the depths of all the title touches upon, it in no uncertain terms portends fare that will surely appeal to a relatively niche audience.

What, if anything, filmmaker Dominique Delouche was specifically trying to say or explore with this feature is one wide open question, and even as I reflect upon what I just finished watching I don't have the answer. More plainly, though, with or without considering all the bigger thoughts on hand: is it any good? I'm happy to say that it is, though I admit I don't entirely know what to think of it, and mileage will absolutely vary from one viewer to the next. While the writing varies in its strength, activity, and lucidity the story is firmly compelling, especially with consideration of not just the dynamics between Etienne and Rudy, but the dynamics of wife Valentine with both. I admire Jean Bourgoin's cinematography, and the stark black and white presentation is a fine choice for a narrative that's a tad more hard-nosed than not. I'm a little divided on Alain Bernaud's music, or at least the ways in which it's employed at times, but the themes in and of themselves are pretty terrific, not least as events come to a head in the last stretch of the runtime. The filming locations and production design are equally splendid, and Delouche demonstrates strong direction in realizing his vision. And by all means, the cast are to be commended for their contributions, for all give solid performances in helping to bring the tale to life. Of course the chief stars stand out most, yet while Francois Timmerman has the most time on-screen as protagonist Etienne, and shows swell nuance in that capacity, I'm inclined to think that Eric Laborey and Emmanuelle Riva rather outshine him with vibrant acting of emotional depth that does still more to engage we viewers.

One way or another I don't think 'L'homme de désir' is a film that altogether demands viewership. It's not perfect as we see it, it won't appeal to all comers - and to some degree I wonder if the scope and breadth of the themes underlying the plot aren't maybe oversized for a movie that itself is comparatively concise, with a more limited and focused scope. Even for all that, while my favor wavered over these one hundred minutes, at length I did quite enjoy this; if nothing else is true the back half is more robust than the first, with a great finish. Unless one is a diehard fan of French cinema or someone involved I don't think this is something one needs to go out of their way to see, but if one is open to all the more subdued, thoughtful possibilities that the medium has to offer, 'L'homme de désir' is worth checking out if you have the chance.

This film is of a portrait of man's desire in relation to another man.

However, from a post modern point of view, the portrait sits on a historical crossroads.

A cynical appraisal of the story might tell of a bored, married, city commuter who is tied to the conventions of an office job and a marriage that has stagnated. The commuter seeks distractions from the hum-drum of his life and makes the mistake of falling for a bit of rough trade he picks up at the road side. The more he sees of the anarchy of the hustler's life the more he lets himself go. However, everything in the film want's you to believe in Etienne's (the city commuter) attempts not to see the situation in this way, but rather to share and perceive Etienne's ideas about spiritual love and redemption from suffering. In Etienne's delusions he is a Christian hero bringing salvation and peace by following the purity of his natural propensity to love. But from a Freudian perspective Etienne is a latent bi/homosexual in a state of contradictory denial and personal crisis characterised by self destruction.

From a post queer era perspective, actual verbal reference to 'homosexuality' is noted to be almost laughably absent from the film despite a repeated inference to a homosexual underworld which provides a good part of the setting of the story as much as an explicitly declared same gender love. It's a queer (in the old sense of the word) contradiction, meaning, it is rather 'odd'.

Anything gay is unmentionable and this cinematic convention towards omitting reference sets up typical devices which are left to carry any notions of 'gay' queer themes present. Devices like, the blurring of definitions, the creation of ambiguities, the muddling of religious ideas with social inferences and even ironically,the necessity of asserting a 'gay gaze' to negotiate the existence of all these devices. Perhaps the most classic of these devices is the untimely demise of the character who embodies the taboo emotions. Sadly, this film does present that cliché. The use of such cinematic techniques to undermine the subject to which it refers to, that is, sexuality, is nothing new, but the overt assertion of same gender love portrayed to such an obsessive degree does feel edgy and remains exciting.

The film works best if the audience is moved towards a state of intellectual enigmatic-ism. However moving away from this comfortable position and trying to provide answers to questions concerning the characters' actions feels like a decidedly queer task. At the heart of the question of the love portrayed in the film, it must be asked, what language best describes what has happened and who these people have been to each other ? This void in language is as relevant today to unfixing constraints and coming to a process of knowing as it has ever been. It's not a matter of labels but rather language. But at the same time this does not mean avoiding altogether reference to the obvious or major themes portrayed in the film.

This is Dominique Delouche's second effort ,after critically- acclaimed shorts and a first movie,"24 Heures De La Vie D'Une Femme ",from Zweig ,starring Danielle Darrieux .

When it was released ,circa 1971,it went thoroughly unnoticed.Too ahead of its time for its own good,it probably winded up into the gay underground distribution ,which is a complete misunderstanding,for it is NOT a porno movie but a psychological drama and it should have been shown at least in the art house cinema theaters.To think that the female lead,Emmanuelle Riva ,was an extremely ambitious artist ,whose career encompasses such works as "Hiroshima Mon Amour " ,"Leon Morin Pretre" ,"Thérèse Desqueyroux" and her later days worldwide triumph "Amour" about Alzheimer's disease .The other actors remained virtually unknown ,with the exception of André Falcon ,cast as the superintendent ,who had supporting parts in "mainstream" cinema.In most of the books about cinema ,the movie is simply (and unfairly) ignored.

Shot in bleak black and white (which had become unusual in the early seventies),it tells a story of self -destruction.Those who might want to see it to get an eyeful won't get anything out of it. The only homo erotic scene shows the Young guy Rudy alias Jean ,acting like a sleepwalker , "protected" by the married man Etienne.Sleepwalking symbolizes Rudy 's uncertain sexuality ,as he fumbles through the dark house.

Etienne is married to Valentine and says "we are happy " ,but the viewer notices the empty cradle ,that they never have sex together - the only sex scene in the whole movie is a heterosexual one,and only Riva strips bare -,and that,although he is a very educated man ,a writer (about German culture),he realizes his desirable mansion means a routine life ,Willy nilly.There's a gap between his bourgeois life and that of his protégé,who belongs to a pack of delinquents whose leader is a strange black man .

Etienne wants to get Rudy out of his perverse milieu ;for him,it was love at first sight when he first saw the boy ,a hitchhiker on a rainy road.But the boy cannot relate to his privileged world ;devoid of culture ,he despises this bourgeois world which represents all that he hates and (in a totally non political way) wants to destroy.The boy is troubled ,Delouche shows him putting on his protector's coat (a nod to movies with homosexual undertones :Clément's "Plein Soleil" and Chabrol's "Les Biches" .When Rudy makes up his mind (actually his coming out),it will be too late ,and the final pictures show him driving through the night ,heading for nowhere.

These tragic last scenes are treated as a bizarre choreography,almost recalling "West side story" ,which makes sense ,for Delouche's former shorts dealt with modern dance ("Le Spectre De La Danse (1960) notably.

Like this? try these.....

"Les Amis" (Gérard Blain,same year)

"La Meilleure Façon De Marcher" (Claude Miller,1976)

"L'Homme Blessé" (Patrice chéreau,1983)