Truffaut’s Jules et Jim †An Expressionistic Analysis :: Movie Film Essays

Truffauts Jules et Jim An Expressionistic AnalysisAs far as Bazins essay The Evolution of the terminology of Cinema might be used as a formal test of categorisationnotwithstanding the problematics inherent in his oversimplification of the realist and expressionist methodologyinitial viewing of Jules et Jim seems to present a dichotomous structure. Certainly, a number of Bazins criteria for realness are met camera movement long-takes composition-in-depth. and deep focus a certain ambiguity of meaning. Similarly, several of Bazins criteria for expressionism also can be found there is spatial and temporal discontinuity editing is used for artistic pitch reality is augmented to create a world only vaguely like our own, and so on. The dichotomy though is only apparent. The over-all effect created by Truffaut shows Jules et Jim belong more comfortably in the expressionistic domain and, as we shall discover, devices which would normallyat least according to Bazindeliver the effect of r ealism are utilized by Truffaut as tools of expressionism. In our analysis of Jules et Jim, rather than examine fleetingly the whole gamut of expressionistic techniques, we shall instead explore in some detail the more serious methods, paying particular attention to temporal and spatial distortions, editing and montage, special visual effects, and finally discover the manner in which Bazins archetypal techniques of realismlong-takes and composition-in-depth.are recast. Certainly one of the most striking features of Jules et Jim is temporal distortion. Truffaut utilises this effect by various means and for various purposes. In the first two legal proceeding of the film, time is condensed in two ways by the third person narrative, which encapsulates the films exposition in the most laconic of terms, describing the meeting and growth friendship of Jules and Jim, and also by the selective images which largely avoid redunant description of the aural narrative, but instead seek to interpret and compliment. Accordingly, when the bank clerk tells us that Jules is a foreigner in Paris that he wants to go to an art students ball and that Jim gets him a ticket and costume, the image we are offered is a open one of the two playing dominoes. This image, incidentally, becomes a leitmotif in the film, supporting the theme of friendship and is touchingly varied much later when Jules plays instead with his daughter. Next, the narrator tells us that their friendship grows the ball takes place that Jules has tender eyes.