THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
Director: Julian Schnabel Stars: Matthieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Anne Consigny, Max Von Sydow
Reviewed by PETER MALONE
This is a fine film, well worth seeing. It is demanding and harrowing, but excellent.
Oscar-nominated writer, Ronald Harwood (and winner for The Pianist), was commissioned to adapt the autobiographical book of the same name by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Since Bauby, at the age of 42, a successful editor of Elle magazine in Paris, was unexpectedly cut down by a stroke with the consequence of a rare condition, lock-in syndrome, which meant that his only way of communication from his still clear and active mind was through the blinking of one of his eyes, Harwood thought that the screen adaptation was an impossible task. However, he decided to follow the book and tell the story, especially for the first part of the film, from the confined point of view of Bauby.
It is to the credit of the writer, the director, American artist and painter, Julian Schnabel, and the intense control of actor, Matthieu Amalric as Bauby, that this way of storytelling involves the audience fully in Bauby’s experience and creates an extraordinary empathy. Later, the film will move a little away from the confinement, but it works so well initially, that this sense of sharing Bauby’s hardships and his creativity stays with us.
And his creativity is important. Initially, shocked to find himself so limited, he is tempted to despair. His plight is more severe than that shown in Javier Bardem’s character in The Sea Inside where the plea is made for assisted suicide or Hilary Swank’s paralysed boxer in Million Dollar Baby which shows an assisted suicide. Yet Bauby, tempted by suicide, opts for life. He loses the use of an eye but, when carers realise that they can get his answers to questions by his blinking letter by letter, he begins to communicate intelligently. He lets his imagination wander and he writes, letter by slow letter, his book. He uses the diving bell as the image for his paralysed situation. He uses the butterfly as the image of his unfettered imagination.
If ever there was a film that advocated life and a quality of life, it is The Diving Bell And The Butterfly.
Harwood wrote the screenplay in English. When the decision was made that it would be more appropriate to make the film in French, the screenplay was translated, American Schnabel quickly learnt French – and the film was nominated for and has won some awards for Best Foreign Language film. Schnabel was named best director at Cannes, 2007.
Matthieu Amalric does eventually have the opportunity to appear in flashbacks, showing the stroke, showing his relationship with his wife, children and lover. Particularly moving is a flashback where he shaves his father, an emotional moment, especially with a very fine cameo by Max Von Sydow as the father.
While so much of the film is confined to the hospital, the film is not restricting. And the fine performances from the carers and the women in Bauby’s life (awkwardly communicating with each other to know how he is) complement the focus on Bauby.
An extraordinarily life-affirming film.