From Life is a Bed of Roses (1983) by Alain Resnais. min: 0.22.08
Does harmony reign among us? Not at all.
Harmony has fled from this world forever.
Nothing and no one are in their proper place.
That’s why we’re all unhappy.
One man may be fooled into thinking his wife loves him.
She's, however sought by another, but loves a third.
One is indecently rich while another is indecently poor.
Ashamed, one hides his wealth, the other his poverty.
You all suffer, you weep, all of you. Enough! Enough!
—Count Forbek
Synopsis (2):
This is the continuation of the last post. So let's dive right back in.
Count Forbek informed his friends who have chosen to stay that they will be cut off from the outside world for several weeks, like a caterpillar in a cocoon. The doors and windows will be tightly sealed, preventing any light or visitors from entering. During this time, they must also shut their minds and souls until they are “born again.”
Forbek's crew helped the participants change into their new robes and then begin serving them the potion. However, Forbek and his father do not participate in the experiment. While everyone else drank the potion, Livia secretly threw hers away when no one was looking. Forbek’s father saw her do this but chose not to tell Forbek.
Throughout the movie, Forbek employs music metaphors to explain his ideas. For instance, he says, "The world is an orchestra and we are its musicians. But so far, we have all been given the wrong score to play. As a result, the world has been filled with dissonance.” But if his experiment succeeds, the world will be filled with symphonies instead of the cacophonies we hear now. This prompts his father to point out that this would make Forbek the conductor of that symphony.
The movie does not specify how long it takes for the potion to take effect, but at some point, all of the participants begin crying like infants. They are given more potion to drink, and their cries become deafening, but Forbek seems pleased by this development. Livia sneaks out of her compartment to go searching for Raoul but discovers Forbek and his attendants giving extra potion to a participant who looks like he’s in great distress.
Moments later, Forbek and his crew discover that one of the participants has died. Despite this, Forbek remains determined to continue the experiment, disregarding his father's wishes that the remaining participants be released. The argument between Forbek and his father escalates, ultimately resulting in the sudden death of his father. Despite this, Forbek shows no concern or remorse and even appears to be pleased by his father's passing. He instructs his crew to continue with the experiment.
As Livia searches for Raoul in the hall, she finds the other participants in a state of catatonia, fawning over each other without any sense of self. Forbek takes her to the unfinished part of the building to show her the bodies of Raoul and his father, which angers Livia. She tells Forbek that Raoul had no interest in his idea of happiness and that happiness is flash in the pan. Forbek gets annoyed and tries to kill Livia, but she manages to escape by hitting him in the head with an object. She runs back to the hall to try and wake up the other participants, but all her efforts are in vain. Forbek chases her with his head dripping with blood, muttering "my love" under his breath.
Thanks for reading. If there's anything you'd like to chat about, or if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email. I'd love to hear from you. :)