CELESTE

West Germany, 1981, 106 minutes, Colour.
Eva Mattes, Jurgen Arndt.
Directed by Percy Adlon.

Celeste is based on a book Monsieur Proust by Celeste Albaret, his housekeeper from 1914 until his death in 1922. The film is an intelligent portrait of the housekeeper and her devotion to Proust. It then becomes a portrait of Proust in his final years - the portrait of the artist as a meticulous, fernickety man.

The screenplay does not attempt to give a biography of Proust or analyse his creative genius. However, the screenplay is written with Proust's methods in mind. It is slow-moving, there is an attention (meditative) to detail situation, atmosphere. There is much static contemplation of character, object, time passing. There is much fluid movement with attention to minute detail. These attempts to capture the atmosphere of Proust's quest for time lost convey an atmosphere of the writer’s perception of life and its meaning. Much of the film is stylised, even Celeste's characterisation which is dignified, composed, compassionate - seeing her about the details of her housekeeping business, seeing her contemplating the author, sharing her fantasy about his death.

The film is certainly not to everybody's tastes - it runs the danger of being tedious. However, the film shows us something of the style of former times with the devotion of the housekeeper to her master, the artist (self-important) and his perception of a world that has now passed.

1. The film as a portrait? A portrait of Celeste? Portrait of Proust? The importance of observation, detail? The tone and quality of the production? Writing? Movement? Camera compositions? The type of response the film was eliciting - to characters to style, to meaning?

2. The qualities of the German production: the meticulous attention to detail in Proust's house. each of the rooms? To the atmosphere of Cabourg, by the sea? Decor, costumes? The contrast between interiors and exteriors? The claustrophobic atmosphere of the film - and of Proust's life and creative work? The outings as a relief? The film's comment on the period shaping Proust and Celeste? The irony of the background of World War One and its evidence and changing the 19th century into the 20th century?

3. The emphasis on style: silences, pauses, long contemplation of characters and objects? Long fluid movement sequences? Pace of editing? Interiors and lighting? Light and darkness? Close-ups and tracking? The audience sharing Celeste's experience and contemplation, her puzzlement? The invitation to probe Proust? The perception of the quality of his writing and insights? Classical score - and the use of the String Quartet in D by Cesar Franck and Proust's appreciation of it?

4. Observation and memory? Shifts of time.. shifts in attention? Memory throwing light on the present and the past? Memory and Proust's creative writing?

5. Celeste and her background? Manner and style? Her relationship with her husband Odilon? Her arrival, the background of the war, her learning Proust's lifestyle? Her self-sacrifice, attention to Proust, her own needs being moderate. her not being bored by the constant attention? Her apprehensiveness about Proust - her contemplation of his death? Her obedience? A portrait of devotion to Proust? Love for her husband? The importance of so many years devoted to Proust? The flashbacks - and the writing of her later memoir? Her contribution to Proust's final years?

6. The formality of the household, the nature of the duties? The use of names? Celeste's support for Proust? His health, illness? The coffee, the fumes, the pages and their being pasted together? The shared experiences? The dinner and the conversation with Cocteau and the Countess? The masochistic performance? The outings and fashion?

7. The spiritual quality of the household and its being sustained? Her spirituality sustaining her and Proust in his death? The experience of death, the portrait of death?

8. The portrait of Proust: as seen, in himself, the background of his career and success? his relationships? His writing? The routine? Illness? His ringing the bell (and not ringing the bell)? The coffee, the fits? The use of names? His dwelling in the past? Foibles? His studying the guests for characters? The prize, publishing, completing his work? The outing? The dinner with Cocteau and the Countess?

9. The interaction of creative genius with empathetic service and devotion?

10. The audience being invited to enter into Proust's world? Understanding and appreciating the portrait?