Gabrielle

This baroque costume drama about the demise of a perfect marriage is set at the start of the 20th century, but has a alarmingly topical message. The historic backdrop, the opulent language and the excessive styling do look a little noisy, but the almost painfully detailed mise-en-scène is a merciless arena for a refined depiction of interpersonal development. The way the theme is treated, although very different in style, can vie with the best of Bergman's work. Isabelle Huppert and Pascal Greggory are well matched in a timeless verbal and non-verbal sparring match that is no different in essence from more contemporary love tragedies. Loosely based on a short story by Joseph Conrad, Chéreau confronts a fragile yet haughty lady of the house with her arrogant and emotionally challenged husband. The foundations of their apparently successful and enviable marriage are suddenly demolished by the arrival of a letter. This is followed by a painful investigation of truths and lies. Chéreau's balanced use of colour, lighting and widescreen camera serves to augment the suffocating, negative chemistry between the two protagonists. The symphonic music of Fabio Vacchi gives the film even more dramatic grandeur. (SdH)