Bresson's career in filmmaking, which has lasted over half a century, has been spent entirely in his native country - France. Unlike so many other European directors, he has never made the journey to Hollywood. This patriotism to his country has no doubt had an effect on his status in France, and he has been described as 'France's greatest living film director'1. But equally, the very fact that he has remained within the French film industry does also mean that his films are relatively unknown to audiences in other countries, as they are generally very poorly distributed.

The film I am considering is a case in point. Although Les Dames initially opened in France in 1945, it would be another twenty years before it secured a (very limited) release in American cinemas. Clearly our notions of national cinema are defined as much by the films we do not get to see, as by those few which do get decent releases and exposure.

At the time of Les Dames' original release, French cinema was going through a transitory process. The German occupation of France in the early Forties meant that many of its established filmmakers (Jean Renoir and René Clair to name but two) had fled to the United States. Bresson was one of the filmmakers to take advantage of this situation, filling the gap left by this exodus of talent and carving out his own niche within the French film industry. Prior to this period, Bresson had worked only as a screenwriter on other peoples films2, but in 1943 he got the chance to direct his first feature-length film, the result being Les Anges Du Péché which was one of Bresson's few commercial successes. On the strength of this success, Bresson went on to direct Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne which I will now look at in more detail.

Fearing that her lover Jean has lost interest in her, Hélène (shown left) tests his fidelity by confessing falsely that she has lost interest in him. To her surprise Jean greets this news with joy, admitting that he has been unhappy with their relationship but has kept quiet about it. Consequently, because their break-up appears to Jean as being amicable, he declares that they can return instantly to being friends and confidants as they were before. Secretly wounded by this rejection however, Hélène plots her revenge by arranging Jean's marriage to Agnés. On their wedding day, Hélène reveals to Jean that Agnés was previously a prostitute. From the shock of this revelation Agnés suffers a heart attack, but before she dies Jean is able to forgive her.

Music

The use of music throughout the film can be regarded as fairly conventional. It mainly consists of an musical score, composed by Jean-Jaques Grünenwald, which would not be out of place in a Hollywood film of the same period. It is - orchestral; nondiegetic; and used in an atmospheric fashion to underscore the scenes. There are one or two moments when this pattern is broken (such as when Hélène's piano playing creates the musical backdrop in one scene), but Grünenwald's score dominates proceedings.

As such, the usage of music can be considered as one of the anomalies of style which is apparent within this film. In Bresson's later films, music was used much more sparingly and, when it was used, it generally consisted of pieces by classical composers such as Schubert or Mozart, rather than specifically commissioned scores. This process of reduction culminated eventually in the total omission of atmospheric music from his films, and was described by Bresson thus: 'It took me a long time to see how nefarious it was, particularly if it is glorious music. Immediately, it makes the images seem flat.'3

If atmospheric music results in flatness, how then is depth brought to the screen? Bresson's answer is: 'People who were experimenting with 3D cinema were barking up the wrong tree. The third dimension is sound. It gives the screen depth, it makes characters seem tangible.'4

His use of sound is not quite so stylised in Les Dames as in later films (partly because so much of the story is relayed through the dialogue of his screenwriter Jean Cocteau), but there are clear precedents to his later style which can be identified. The most notable example is the first meeting which takes place between Hélène and Agnés' mother. In this scene Hélène is promising to help Agnés' mother out of the desperate situation which her and her daughter have found themselves in, this conversation remaining as the exclusive focus of the camera throughout the scene. But the audience is also made aware that a parallel series of events - Agnés locking herself in her room, away from the attentions of a group of men - are occurring in an adjacent room, this information being conveyed entirely through the use of sound effects.

Witnessing this usage, Bresson's definition '... a sound effect will give [the images] depth'5 makes perfect sense. Unlike theatre (where the stage is the only place where action takes place) cinema operates on the principle of continuos space, meaning that the audience assumes that the image does not simply end beyond the confines of the frame, even though with the use of sets it may well do so. These detailed sound effects which Bresson uses effectively fill out this off-screen space, giving an impression of both depth and realism. While it is true that mainstream cinema uses sound effects in a similar fashion, they are generally there only as a background which at most complement the visual images. Bresson's uniqueness comes in the way the sound effects compete with the visuals for the viewers attention.

Because this method allows multiple events to be perceived by the audience at the same time, without the necessity of changing the camera angle, the amount of time required to tell the story can also be condensed down to the minimum amount necessary, and this can be singled out as one of the reasons why Bresson's film are all fairly condensed.6

Throughout his career, Bresson has worked with a whole series of cinematographers meaning that there is a noticeable variance in the style of photography employed throughout his films. Two examples are the documentary style realism of the films with Leonce-Henri Burel as cinematographer, and the ironically high key image which Ghislain Cloquet employed.

As far as Le Dames is concerned, the visual style throughout betrays its links to American film noir, the cinematographer Philippe Agostini clearly having been influenced by American films produced in this style throughout the 1930s and early 40s. The film is shot in black and white, and makes use of the low-key, high-contrast (chiaroscuro) lighting which typifies film noir. Shadows are used throughout in a stylistic fashion; for example at the very opening of the film the shadows which pass over Hélène's face as she rides in the back of a car, immediately suggest a dark side to her character, even though the audience knows very little about her at this point. Other links are the frequent use of night scenes and the seemingly permanent rain which accompanies them. Typical of the French cinema however is the fact that these stylistic elements are mixed with a sense of realism. For example, the lighting (and consequently the shadows) can always be explained as originating from some clearly identifiable source, whether this is a street lamp or a passing car.

The links to film noir can also be seen in the clothes of Hélène, who throughout the film dons a series of black dresses. While these can be regarded as outfits mourning the loss of Jean's love, they are also the archetypal outfit for that staple character of film noir - the femme fatale.

The use of these influences in this film illustrate how the interplay between Hollywood and national cinema is not just a one-way process (with Hollywood reaping all the benefits) but is instead cyclic. The development of American film noir was of course heavily influenced by European films and European directors who emigrated to work within the Hollywood film system, so this film can be seen as a reclamation of this style.

Another element of visual style which can be considered is the camera movement, which is much more conspicuous and frequent in Les Dames than in his later work. Speaking on the subject Bresson said: '[tracking shots or pans] seem totally false. When do we see lamps and tables move? That's the effect sudden movement has. I seek not description but vision.'7 While in his later films camera movement was not eliminated totally, it was made as invisible and naturalistic as possible whenever it was employed. This approach towards cinematography can be regarded as being a direct influence from his training as a painter, which was the career he pursued initially before deciding that there was: 'nowhere to go ... after Cézanne.'8 In his Notes on Cinematography [Urizen/Dutton, New York (1977)], which is both an explanation and defence of his individualistic cinematic style, he describes how he regards cinema as a combination of painting and music, rather than the more traditional view that it is a combination of theatre and photography. Consequently the individual frames in his films (particularly the later work) are very carefully composed, with the same attention to detail that is lavished on a painting. Any movement tends to come from the actors - moving within or into the frame - their movement in turn emphasising the stillness of the camera.

Another point regarding the visual style is the simplification of individual images. This is visible throughout the entire film, the items in each individual frame being kept to a bare minimum, but it is particularly noticeable in the scenes in Agnés' unfurnished apartment. In Bresson's words: '... I flatten the image as though I was ironing it. I do not deprive pictures of meaning, but I minimise it so that each image loses its independence.'9 In Bresson's films, it is not the individual images themselves which create meaning, but rather the way in which they are arranged and contrasted. Instead of the more common label of metteur-un-scéne (someone who arranges the scene), Bresson describes himself as a metteur-un-ordre: 'What I seek is not so much expression by gesture, word or mime, as expression by the rhythm and combination of images, by their position, relationship and number.'10

The unimportance of individual images to Bresson is also highlighted by the fact that not every image is perfectly in focus. He explains his attitude to this issue as follows: 'I like to stand the camera at the same distance as the eye in real life. Which is why, in my films, the background is sometimes out of focus. Which is unimportant, because once again it is the sound which gives a sense of distance and perspective.'11

As with most artists, Bresson has certain themes which recur again and again throughout his work.

The first of these themes can be regarded as isolation; of characters being trapped within their own environment. The importance of this theme is no doubt heavily influenced by the time he spent in a prisoner of war camp (June 1940 to April 1941) during the Nazi occupation of France. One example of its usage within this film is the character of Hélène who spends most of the time in her apartment, her only real contact with the outside world being through Jean and the letters which she receives from time to time. The way she sets about to so single-mindedly destroying Jean's life also highlights this, as it can be inferred from this that she has little else to occupy her.

Another example is the apartment which Hélène provides for Agnés and her mother. As part of the deal, Hélène insists that they admit no guests to the apartment, excepting her on yearly visits. At one point Agnés herself makes this connection clear when speaking of their apartment, declaring: 'I call it a prison'.

But this theme of isolation and confinement also makes itself felt in the choice of shots throughout the film which often employ very tight framing, giving a claustrophobic atmosphere and the impression that people are trapped. An example of this technique is the shot of Hélène and Jaques in the back seat of a car at the films beginning. The camera frames them very closely and blackness surrounds them. Another example is the lift which is used to get to Hélène's apartment, in which Hélène traps Jean as he attempts to leave her at one point in the film. And even external shots employ this technique, an example being Jean's impromptu meeting with Agnés at the Square de Pont-Royal. The camera looks out onto the street from within a hotel lobby, the doorway of which forms a frame within the frame, effectively narrowing the space for the characters to move in. As a side note, this claustrophobic framing was also commonly used in film noir, forming another link with this style.

The other major theme which is present in virtually all of Bresson's films is redemption. By the end of the film Hélène has succeeded in her goal of getting Jean to marry a prostitute - seemingly evil has won. This situation is transformed however as Jean forgives Agnés just before she dies. The ending certainly cannot be described as a happy one, and it would probably be too morally ambiguous for Hollywood at the time it was made, but at the same time the act of forgiveness removes it from the downbeat feeling typically connected with 'art house' European cinema.

A crucial element of Bresson's style is the elliptical fashion in which the stories are related to the audience. As with most points, Les Dames is slightly more conservative than his later efforts, but this omitting of information and refusal to explain can be witnessed at certain points in both the dialogue and the narrative.

As regards dialogue, an example is the point where Agnés is told by her mother 'Hélène is pleased'. Agnés responds 'Pleased about what?' but at this point the scene fades out. What exactly Hélène is happy about is never explained; it is left instead for the audience to make their own inferences.

As regards the story, a more crucial omission comes in the narrative - namely, how does Jean convince Agnés to marry him after they have only had a few brief and formal meetings? The final scene before their marriage shows them arriving at the Bois De Boulogne, but Jean's words and the scene are quickly faded out leaving the audience to wonder what exactly takes place. What is missing from Les Dames is character motivation, an explanation for why people behave the way they do. In contrast to this style, character motivation is clearly a crucial element of most Hollywood films, this often being relayed to the audience in a quite blatant fashion. In a Hollywood film of a similar nature, an explanation of how this relationship develops would most likely form a (or the) central element of the film.

Another element, notable in its absence is dramatic conflict, this being something which Bresson has consciously attempted to avoid in his films. At the films beginning, Hélène declares 'I will be avenged' and the rest of the film details how she goes about this (albeit in the elliptical fashion mentioned), but there is never any doubt that she will succeed. For example: Agnés and Jean could hate each other at first sight (a common Hollywood device); or Jean could decide that he is really in love with Hélène and try and win her back; but there are never any obstacles of this kind which Hélène has to overcome in her attempt to avenge herself. Most Hollywood scripts would place a series of hurdles (growing in size as the film progresses) in front of the main character which need to be overcome before their original goal is achieved.

Despite its variance it many respects, the film does still follow the standard story structure of:

equilibrium » disruption » resolution

At the films beginning things are in equilibrium for a short while. This is disrupted when Hélène discovers that Jean has lost interest in her. The resolution, and return to a state of equilibrium, comes when Jean forgives Agnés.

Another factor which marks this film out from his later work is that the lead roles are all filled by professional actors. In fact it was in a large part due to the negative experiences he had while making this film (particularly with Maria Casarès as Hélène) which led him to use non-professional actors almost exclusively from his next film onwards.

Unlike the majority of directors who work with non-professional actors though, rather than attempting to get them to act, he hires them precisely for their ability: 'not to "act", or even, as has been said in comparison with standard technique, to "act" or "speak falsely"'12. Bresson on this subject:

All the different elements of the film must have something in common if they are to match at each transition. That is true of pictures as well as of sound. Non-professional actors must speak in a way that is entirely their own but which at the same time must not differ significantly from the way in which others speak. If you charted the way [professional] actors speak on a graph, there would be enormous variations in the intensity of their speech, whereas in my films speech-patterns are more even. So that it fits together properly. ... [In most films the] actors spend their time trying to emphasise their difference, proclaiming their persona, even though that persona does not really exist, is pure invention, an artificial self, not a real one.13

In essence Bresson attempts to reduce the status of the actors to the point where they become simply another element of the mise-en-scene, no more important than any other. This view clearly differs from the Hollywood system which is built around personalities, and where stars form the centre of most films, all the other elements being structured to suit whoever is in the lead role.

The presence of professional actors in Les Dames clearly means that this element of Bresson's style is not as extreme as in his later films, but there are still one or two moments where Bresson seems to have succeeded in making his actors forget their training and remain totally expressionless.

With this reduction in the status of the actor, in Bresson's films characters are often defined as much by the elements which surround them as by their acting. In this film, of vital importance are the flowers which are present in almost every scene. In particular they relate to the character of Agnés, effectively describing her situation throughout the film.

• The first time we see the character of Agnés she smashes a vase of flowers, signalling her dissatisfaction with her present lifestyle as a prostitute.
• Later on, after Hélène's intervention, her new apartment is full of flowers from previous clients, signalling that nothing has really changed - she cannot escape her old lifestyle.
• Jean later buys her a bunch of flowers, another sign that she has not moved on from her previous life.
• Even as Agnés lies on her deathbed she remains surrounded by flowers, though by this stage they have taken on the appearance of flowers at a wake.

Conclusion

In all, Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne is a fairly strange mixture of styles - the conventional elements clashing with those which are more individualistic and unique to Bresson. This very fact can be regarded as one of the major reasons why this film is generally regarded critically as one of Bresson's lesser achievements, as it is neither one thing nor the other, and so is hard to evaluate.

If the film is taken as part as Bresson's entire output, there are clear indicators of his later style, the more unconventional (which can be rephrased as 'uncommercial') elements being brought out to a more pronounced degree in his later films. At the beginning of the essay I mentioned that Bresson has never made a film in Hollywood, and this is probably a situation of mutual agreement. Such uncompromising adherence to such an uncompromising style would never be accepted in Hollywood, where all directors (no-matter how powerful) have to make compromises at some point. But equally, Bresson seems to have realised that his method of working is only viable in an industry such as the French one. Unlike Hollywood, French cinema has never been dominated by large companies. While this does mean that it can never begin to challenge Hollywood on a equal footing (as the industry is too fragmented) it does mean that individual filmmakers have the chance to find backing from small independent companies, often on a one-off basis, resulting in the situation that the industry is dominated by personal talent, of which Robert Bresson is a perfect example.

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• The Cinema of Robert Bresson - discusses Bresson's status as well as his films
• All is Grace: the Films of Robert Bresson - at the British Lights Film Journal
• Robert Bresson Quotations
  

Books

Bandy, Mary Lea (ed.), Rediscovering French Film, The Museum of Modern Art, New York (1983)
Bresson, Robert, Notes on Cinematography, Urizen/Dutton, New York (1977)
Cameron, Ian (ed.), The Films of Robert Bresson, Studio Vista Limited, London (1969)
Ciment, Michel & Herpe, Noël (eds.), Projections 9: French Film-makers on Film-making, Faber and Faber Limited, London (1999)

Magazines & Journals

David Robinson, 'Business as Usual', The Movie, Volume 2, pp. 393-395.
David Robinson, 'Picking up the Pieces', The Movie, Volume 3, pp. 501-505.
Alistair Whyte, 'Double Adapters', The Movie, Volume 3, pp. 510-512.
Gilbert Adair, 'Waiting for Godard', The Movie, Volume 4, pp. 780-784.
Derek Elley, 'Pickpocket [review]', The Movie, Volume 4, pp. 796-797.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, 'Robert Bresson: Agent of Austerity', The Movie, Volume 4, pp. 798-800