Some thoughts (TLDR warning)
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Inside
Brandon_Marlo — 12 years ago(July 31, 2013 07:09 AM)
I wonder how the central theme of coveting another's baby relates to the underlying theme of social unrest in this film. At the core of both themes is the idea of inequality and resentment of the other having something we feel we deserve in their place - and violence is a means to an end.
There are frequent references in the movie to social unrest in the nearby 'cite' (French social housing estates which can be synonymous with crime and poverty, historically inhabited in large proportion by first generation immigrants - now their children who are French citizens).
Rioting and car burning in these estates is an almost yearly occurrence in urban France during the autumn and winter seasons, and it never goes without a big media circus, which in turn attracts criticism on the basis it is voyeuristic, opportunistic, biased, sensationalist
These are well known phenomena in French society, they have been treated at length for some time in film (La Haine), in music (Justice: Stress), dare I say we are almost tired now of seeing carbonised carcasses of vehicles on TV when November comes around and dread the imminent liberal view that this is somehow all our fault and that we are voyeuristic perverts for watching it on televised news.
Sarah's boss seems to be the editor of the newspaper or TV channel she works for. During that strange meeting they have on a park bench, he is shouting down the phone to one of his subordinates that they should be maximising coverage of the social unrest in the housing estates for the benefit of their news outlet. 'That's where the cash is! That's what people want to see!' he shouts, or something along those lines. A familiar depiction of news providers as immoral, scaremongering profiteers. Well, ok, it wasn't very subtle, but there it is.
Sarah and him seem to hardly make eye contact (a metaphor for the break-down of French society?), despite both making use of communication media. She uses her camera (badly, strange for a character supposed to be a photographer), he is on the phone.
Then we learn from the first group of policemen sent round to Sarah's house that their workforce is tied up in the surrounding areas due to rioting, but that they'll try to send a car round later in the night. These guys are 'municipal police', a watered-down version of the national police force. They have no power of arrest and their duties are generally limited to traffic enforcement. They are an optional bolt-on service wealthy French towns can pay for. So, the scene is set - Sarah is basically a privileged middle-class woman. Upon leaving, one of the policemen even comments on how quiet her neighbourhood is, almost as a reproach. We know by contrast that the nearby estate is anything but quiet and that police are doing 'real' work there.
When a second group of policemen finally visit, they are from a different force. This is the 'brigade anti-criminalite', in plain clothes and an unmarked car. This type of unit is very typical in sensitive areas such as the housing estates where we know rioting is taking place. They are from the national police force and have full powers of arrest, use of force, right to carry firearms, etc. They are the 'real deal'.
I think there is a lot of symbolism and metaphor in this film. White, middle-class, fertile, pregnant, wealthy, voyeuristic (she is a photographer) Sarah represents middle France that only needs municipal police to look after her, poor scared woman/country.
Opposing her, we have la Femme, dark, incredibly violent, a challenge to the brigade anti-criminalite (much like rioters in the estates), jealous of Sarah's baby (as rioters resent middle-class French people's wealth and perceived exclusion from society? ).
Do Sarah and la Femme represent France's inner societal struggle?
Despite being immensely silly in places, it seems the directors did attempt including more than one level of understanding to this film. I like the references to Rear Window and the Omen too.
