LADY JANE
France, 2008, 102 minutes, Colour.
Ariane Ascaride, Jean- Pierre Darroussin, Gerard Meylan.
Directed by Robert Guediguian.
Lady Jane is not your typically French title. It refers to a Rolling Stones’ song but, more specifically, to a boutique in Ais, managed by middle-aged Muriel who lives with her fifteen year old son. When her son is abducted, we learn that Lady Jane is also a criminal code name with its distinctive gang tattoo.
Robert Guidiguian has been something of a chronicler of life on the Marseilles waterfront and its neighbourhoods. Now he has opted for a change in theme and treatment, a drama of crime and revenge.
He still brings some vivid life to this part of the city and brings to life those who live and survive there, many with shady pasts.
He also plays with the time sequences so that audiences have to be on the alert to what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present. It is not what the audience might assume.
Guediguian uses his regular stars and crew whom we have seen quite often in this world before – especially his wife Ariane Ascaride who plays Muriel.
Strong on atmosphere and character, some twists in the plot and questions about the violence and the emptiness of revenge.
1.Guediguian and his films in Marseilles, social concern, social changes? This film as a change of pace for him?
2.The background of film noir, the plot, characters, suspense, violence, guns, murder, chases?
3.Marseilles as setting, Aix and the shop, authentic? School?
4.The title, the Rolling Stones song, Muriel and Lady Jane, the tattoo, the gang, her shop in Aix?
5.The plot, the opening with the masks and the carnival, audiences having to adapt to the time shifts? Muriel’s life, above the shop, at home, with Martin, at work, the phone call, the situation of the kidnapping?
6.Muriel as the central character, her age, the shop, living alone, her love for Martin, the clients in the shop, the phone call, her being upset, her going to Francois and Remy – after fifteen years? Standing at the car waiting? Their past, its becoming clear later, the bonds between them, Francois and his love for her, his having married and had a family in the meantime, the devotion and possessiveness of his wife? Remy, the past, violence, stealing, truckloads of goods, distribution? Their help, the contacts, the money, following Muriel, keeping guard, the phone calls, seeing the killer, following him home, his flat, his family, leading him to confront Muriel?
7.The ransom money, the issues of collecting it, the phone calls, Muriel waiting at the station, moving (*?) the place, the parking lot, giving the money, Martin and his rinning to his mother, being shot? Her grief?
8.The flashbacks, the story of the jeweller and his murder? The focus on the tattoo? Muriel behind the mask identifying herself as her father’s daughter? The back-story, her father in jail, his death, alleged suicide, pushed from the fifth floor, the warder, his leaving, becoming a jeweller, wealthy, Muriel and her gang killing him?
9.Francois, his character, his wife, children, her love? The wife’s realisation about Muriel? Remy and his criminal life? Their not having seen each other for years? The visit, Albert, Solange, the memories of the past, Albert and his help?
10.Muriel, going to the bar, meeting the young man, talking with him?
11.Capturing the young man, the truth, his character, motivation? His being the son of the jeweller? His witnessing his father’s death – and the flashback?
12.The confrontation, the violence, shooting, Francois shot? Remy and his attitude? Muriel, wanting to kill the young man, the realisation about revenge, saying that it had to stop somewhere? The aftermath and the quotations about the coldness of violence and revenge?
