A Filmmaker's Guide: "Belle De Jour" (1967)

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Belle De Jour (1967)

The seminal film if you're learning about Luis Buñuel, "Belle De Jour" (1967) is a captivating and intense film about loneliness starring the French new wave actress, Catherine Deneuve.

Throughout the film there are nightmare-based scenes and dream sequences in which things are either the perfect or imperfect world of the Belle du Jour. By the end of the film, we get both the perfect and imperfect worlds shown to us in complete - without really knowing which one the ending is based upon (if you really think about it hard enough). But, in my opinion, it is a film that everyone should see at least once in their lives, as it shows the hypocrisy of the new modern world in which we are constantly drifting apart, experiencing boredom and thus, living in our own minds - some for the worse.

Let us take a look at some stills and see what they can teach us about this character-based narrative:

Still #1

Obviously what we have here is a medium frame in which the Belle De Jour is entering from our right, she is contrasting with the background by wearing black but the most symbolic thing about the whole frame itself is her sunglasses. She wears blacked-out sunglasses to hide her identity, along with a hat to cover her hair. As the Belle De Jour has become a sex worker in order to liven up her daily routine, she feels she must protect what is, her richer and more high society identity.

Still #2

This shot is from later on in the film where the character is at home, notice how she is still dressed in black. This could be for two reasons - 1) there is a mourning going on for a life that might have been (which I will not elaborate on since it would spoil the film) and 2 - she is still, or may be suggesting towards the hidden aspect of her character: the Belle De Jour. She is yet again in medium frame and on our right, obviously suggesting that she is slightly off-centre - in character as well as her mind. She is hardly ever completely centre.

Still #3

As we can see, the Belle De Jour is now in the centre of the frame - but now she is clearly dressed differently than everyone else. She is wearing brighter colours, has brighter hair and is standing away from the group. This is what we see in the Belle De Jour as different, this is how we continue to differentiate her from the rest of the sex workers. She is continuously dressing differently to the others whilst around them, but by the time she leaves, she has layered up as to not draw attention to herself. It is a brilliant play of character - showing not only contrast, but secrecy in extreme forms.

Conclusion

"Belle De Jour" (1967) is a classic new wave French film which was copied by Hollywood in various attempts at female-led existential crisis films such as the films: "The Night Porter" and "The Marriage of Maria Braun". I feel like this film is very important because of its very casual state of cinematography set against this dream and nightmare state of a woman's life as a high class wife.