2 or 3 Things Know About Her
The mother, suburban Paris, prostitution and the pinstriped raincoat.
Juliette and a John
Jean-Luc Godard’s 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her is a masterstroke that takes an honest look at modern western life. The film, which takes places over 24 hours, revolves around a middle-class housewife and mother, Juliette (Marina Vlady), in suburban Paris. Since her husband is content with their social standing, she spends afternoons prostituting to pay for the material things that will supposedly make her happy. During daytime hours, Juliette leaves her kids with a brothel owner/babysitter and goes about the business of turning tricks for money.
Juliette and her husband, Gerard.
The stifling environment they live in -- an isolated, nondescript, concrete high-rise development -- partially fuels her dissatisfaction. Cut off from the lively and intellectually stimulating world of Paris, she looks for an escape and sense of purpose through consumption. Advertisements for household products, clothing, appliances, vacations and services are featured prominently throughout the film, where the world seems to be inundated with a staggering number of consumer choices.
The half-dead way she goes about life is reflects the isolating and stifling mediocrity that goes on around her. Most of the women she encounters are overqualified for their career fields. The majority of them are overworked and underpaid and many have accepted their depressing fates. Despite their complexity and wealth of interests, the women find themselves“prostituting” in dead-end jobs, while others actually work as hookers to make ends meet.
The men in the film are equally dissatisfied with their lives and careers. They immerse themselves in politics, technology, sports, and pseudo-intellectualism, or resort to paying hookers to act out sexual fetishes and fantasies (such as the American war correspondent who requires prostitutes to run around with flight bags on their heads before engaging in a threesome).
On the surface, this film seems similar to features such as Luis Buñuel’s Belle De Jour and Godard’s own Vivre Sa Vie. However, what sets 2 or 3 Things apart from those features is the extensive commentary on capitalism, consumerist culture, modern life, politics and communication.
The film features a whispered narrator (voiced by Godard), whose pointed commentary ponders the meaning of life, instead of solely advancing the story. Moreover, the characters break the fourth wall to convey highly intriguing, and often devastating, mini-monologues, where they discuss their life stories, innermost thoughts, desires, fears, interests, jobs, etc., in a brutally honest way they’re unable to communicate to the other characters. This plot device works beautifully, as it brings into focus the way our minds work in social interactions where we appear cool and detached as our thoughts are racing a mile-a-minute. It also highlights the wall we build up around ourselves in the fear of having our desires and insecurities exposed or misunderstood.
The film features is peppered with a number of quotable quotes. Critiques about the joining of political and corporate interests to reshape cities and countries are more relevant today than ever, as urban areas across the globe are being reshaped into banal, commodity-driven and culturally-devoid playgrounds, where every insecurity can be pacified, for a price. Additionally, the film’s discussion of our ability to forsake interpersonal relationships in favor of technology is even more penetrating in the digital age. One can only look at the film’s world -- as well as the present society we live in -- and wonder what’s it all for?
Arguably one of the best features in Godard’s filmography, 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her features standout performances from Marina Vlady, Joseph Gerhard and Juliet Berto.
Discussing fashion in a film that brutally critiques materialism seems -- for lack of a better word -- idiotic. However, as with all Godard features, the beautiful cinematography and wardrobe styling are second to none, so the clothing must be analyzed.
The bold prints, patterns and colors featured in the film have a timelessness style that will brighten any Spring or Summer season. Pinstriped raincoats, brightly-colored pencil skirts, vintage flight bags, and gradient-tint, full-rim glasses are prominently displayed in the film, offering a myriad of inspired ways to finish off your look.
Colorful Radicals: Jean-Luc Godard's Week-End
Violent car crashes, murder plots, infidelity, fashion and radicals: Jean-Luc Godard's Week-End.
Jean Yanne and Mireille Darc
Set largely on the French countryside, Jean-Luc Godard's Week-End is an experimental and challenging work that questions the seemingly senseless nature of modern life. The film follows a philandering middle-class couple as they head to the countryside to help an ailing family member meet his impending demise. Why? They wanted to expedite the inheritance process. Their adventure turns into more than they bargained for as they encounter a series of bloody car accidents, violent revolutionaries and historical reenactments that offer meditations on class struggle. A black comedy at its core, Week-End is one of Godard's noteworthy features.
Juliet Berto as the Radical
Fashion wise, the film features an impressive array of 1960's clothing. The exquisite styling offers a wealth of ideas as the sunglasses, dresses, skirts, shoes and haircuts are timeless.
Released in 1967, Week-End stars Mireille Darc, Jean Yanne, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Yves Afons and Juliet Berto.
Color Block: Made in U.S.A.
Paris, Atlantic City, shoe slapping, gangsters, and vibrant colors: Jean-Luc Godard goes Stateside with Made in U.S.A.
A lesser-known (in the U.S., ironically) entry in Jean-Luc Godard's legendary filmography, Made in U.S.A. features Anna Karina in her last performance for the iconic director. Due to legal issues, the film is rarely screened in the States, but the Criterion Collection offers a beautifully-restored print that gives the feature new life.
Plot wise, Made in U.S.A. is a near-future noir about a woman traveling from Paris to Atlantic City to find the men who murdered her boyfriend. Gangsters, neon signs, philosophical discussions, shoe slapping, and a challenging narrative abound in this intriguing film that often leaves viewers scratching their heads.
Despite the demanding plot, Made in U.S.A.'s stunning visuals are a feast for the senses. The legendary director's eye for detail is on display throughout, as the characters are dressed in vivid 1960's fashions that beautifully complement the color-drenched cinematography. From color blocking, bold patterns, and trench coats, to fedoras, smokey eyes, and gradient-tint glasses, Made in U.S.A. offers a range of style ideas for fashion lovers.
Released in 1966. Starring Anna Karina and Jean-Pierre Léaud.
Jean Seberg Leaves Us Breathless
What's old is new: Jean Seberg's sophisticated style in Breathless continues to influence fashion trends across the globe.
Jean Seberg gave the performance of a lifetime in Jean-Luc Godard's breakthrough film, Breathless (À bout de souffle). Seberg stars as Patricia, an American journalism student who gets mixed up with a petty thief and murderer, Michel, in 1960's Paris. Breathless blends the intrigue of film noir with the gangster genre and was a critical and commercial smash.
Seberg's style in Breathless continues to influence fashion trends across the globe. Her pixie cut, cat eyeliner, loafers, pleated skirt, stripped dresses and shirts, printed tee, cropped pants and shorts, fedora, and sleek shades have been fashion staples for decades. Breathless co-stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as Michel.
Color Pop: Pierrot Le Fou
Murder, intrigue, love, and splashes of color.
Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot Le Fou is an unconventional masterpiece that brings pop art to life. Murder, intrigue, and an escape from bourgeois life set the stage for a visceral experience that takes viewers from the streets of Paris to the Mediterranean Sea.
The film's fashion is equally stimulating as the combo of red and blue is featured in everything from plaid slacks and neck ties, to nautical wear and stripped dresses. Army jackets, camo fatigue hats, fedoras, and cropped pants are worn to perfection as well.
Pierrot Le Fou stars Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo in one of the top films from the French New Wave movement.
Cléo from 5 to 7
Paris, the polka dot dress and a cancer scare: Agnes Varda's Cléo from 5 to 7.
Agnes Varda's iconic Cléo from 5 to 7 is a daring slice of life film about a Parisian pop singer awaiting the results of a medical test. Corinne Marchand stars as the film's titular character and gives a breathtaking performance that ranges from childlike despair to self-actualization.
This thought provoking film is expertly written, directed, and acted. The streets of Paris radiate in black and white, and Cleo's effortless style and sophistication are a sight to behold. Keep your eyes peeled for cameos by legendary actress and fashion icon, Anna Karina, and world-renowned French New Wave director, Jean-Luc Godard.