Happy Birthday, Marguerite Duras! Born today in 1914 as Marguerite Donnadieu, this Vietnamese-born French essayist, novelist, playwright, screenwriter and experimental filmmaker is internationally known for her screenplays regarding to features.
The former includes writing for French film director and screenwriter Alain Resnais' ('Night and Fog', 'Last Year at Marienbad') 1959 French New Wave black and white romantic drama/war film 'Hiroshima, Mon Amour'.
The following year, her screenplay earned her a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. This occurred at the 32nd Academy Awards in early April 1960.
Among her credits, Duras is best known for writing and directing the 1975 French drama/fantasy film 'India Song'.
The film centers on Anne-Marie Stretter (Delphine Seyrig), the promiscuous wife of the French ambassador L'attaché d'ambassade allemand (Mathieu Carrière) in India.
The film was based on an unproduced play written by Duras (which itself was based on her published 1966 literary fiction novel Le Vice-Consul).
The film was based on an unproduced play written by Duras (which itself was based on her published 1966 literary fiction novel Le Vice-Consul).
Although set in India, the film was shot mostly on location at the Château Rothschild, an historic mansion in Boulogne-Billancourt near Paris.
Set in 1930s India, the film tells of Stretter and her husband, the French ambassador.
Growing bored with the oppressive lifestyle she leads, she begins to compulsively sleep with other men to alleviate her situation. However, Stretter is haunted by imperialist guilt and the anguishing emptiness of opulence.
During this, Le vice-consul de Lahore (Michael Lonsdale) fails in his attempts to begin a love affair with Stretter. However, her husband, who knows of her indiscretions, shows tolerance of her promiscuity.
In the film, Stretter suffers from “leprosy of the soul,” another term for ennui.
During this, Le vice-consul de Lahore (Michael Lonsdale) fails in his attempts to begin a love affair with Stretter. However, her husband, who knows of her indiscretions, shows tolerance of her promiscuity.
In the film, Stretter suffers from “leprosy of the soul,” another term for ennui.
Through a mélange of off-screen gossip, we eventually learn of her scandalous conduct and her eventual fate, engendered by boredom, colonial guilt, and a string of meaningless affairs.
The following year, 'India Song' was France's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 48th Academy Awards on March 29, 1976. However, it did not receive a nomination.
Five days later, the film was nominated for three César Awards in 1976—Best Music Written for a Film for Carlos d'Alessio, Best Sound for Michel Vionnet, and Best Actress for Delphine Seyrig.
However, the film did not win in any of the nominated categories. This occurred at the 1st César Awards on April 3, 1976.
Today, 'India Song' is seen more favorably by critics.
Later that same year, Duras wrote and directed a sequel. This was the 1976 French drama film 'Son nom de Venise dans Calcutta désert' ('His Name of Venice in Calcutta Desert'). For the film, Seyrig reprised her role as Stretter.
Some of Duras' screenplays were adaptations of her own novels and short stories. However, she turned regularly to a more abstract and synthetic mode, with fewer characters, less plot and narrative, and fewer of the other elements of traditional fiction.
American film and theatre critic Vincent Canby, writing for The New York Times, reviewed the film in a negative light, finding that it was aesthetically pleasing but shallow.
Canby described 'India Song' as "no content and all style", although he felt that Seyrig's portrayal of Anne-Marie was "marvelous to contemplate".
Travis Crawford cites the film as Duras' best, describing it as "fascinating" in its use of language and sound in contrast to imagery, and calling it an "elliptical dream poem rather than linear narrative".
However, he acknowledges that opinions are markedly divided on the film and that viewers will either find it "hypnotically seductive or maddeningly pretentious".
Lonsdale considered his part to be his "most favorite role", adding that "it helped me exorcise the suffering I was going through at the time in my personal life".
Duras' name was even associated with the nouveau roman (“new novel”) movement, though she denied such a connection.
Duras had been active from 1943–1995.
Duras' name was even associated with the nouveau roman (“new novel”) movement, though she denied such a connection.
Duras had been active from 1943–1995.
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