In just two hours, who would consider for one to undergo one of life’s major existential crises, and come out as a wiser, more introspective person? Director Agnès Varda’s Cléo 5 à 7 showcases the development of a famous singer, Cléo's journey through grappling with a potential cancer diagnosis. She seeks answers for her uncertain health through superficial and superstitious means, looking into messages through Tarot card reading or interpreting broken mirrors as an omen of her death. The director follows Cléo throughout her day, playing with Parisian society’s engagement with the social and political upheavals of Paris in the 1960s. The audience notices these implications on how she views herself and her relationships with others around her. Cléo struggles to accept her potential illness because of societal pressures to adhere to materialism and classism, despite her efforts later on truly find herself in a humanistic lens. She was initially stifled to accept her illness because of dealing with projections of toxic femininity and the male gaze’s view of her worth, connoting sickness with weakness. Varda’s exceptional use of replicating real-time realism through discontinuous editing and examining psychological depth and gender roles, she captures the essence of film in an authentic and humanistic way.
At the beginning of the film, Cléo was tarnished by society’s expectations for women- heavily concerned with her external appearance, adhering to social rules, and settling her worth onto amateur men who objectify her. Because of this, she dismisses genuine and authentic connections with others, craving relationships that solely boost her self-image and elitist reputation. She spends time curating her aesthetic for her “lover”, José, who stops by only to be intimate with her without any platonic or genuine regard for her mental or physical wellbeing. Cléo hints that she is ill, to which he simply responds, “You're strong, your beauty is your health”. He acts as a mirror of the stereotypical male collective who seemingly does not associate physical illness with beauty, vibrance and mental fortitude. This idea is reflected when Cléo’s assistant says, “Don't say you're ill, men hate illnesses”. Because of how shallow José treats Cléo, she sees herself how he sees her– she feels shameful for being ill and cannot come to terms that she still holds beauty and value despite her illness. She avoids confiding in men about her illness, for she is worried that it would deteriorate her self-image.
Throughout the second-half of the film, the audience begins to take notice of Cléo's character development. Her independence flourishes as she steps out of the box of the "observed" and becomes the "observer". She takes the time to look around others rather than being consumed by herself and her appearance. She breaks superficial social norms and observes others around her in her environment. Through these steps of progress, she begins to attract positive and genuine interactions within her relationships. Particularly, we see this shift when she and Angèle drive together from the sculpting studio to her boyfriend, Raoul’s, film studio. Unlike Cléo's assistant who advises her to not tell men she is ill, Angèle casually mentions to Raoul about her illness, displaying her comfort with him to talk about vulnerable issues. To this, he responds reassuringly, “A laugh is good for any illness,”. Raoul’s simplistic response utterly juxtaposes that of José’s. Amidst all the complex emotions Cléo goes through, Raoul does not push any further questions, respecting her privacy. Instead, he provides her with simple reassurance and positivity, suggesting to watch his entertaining film to ease her spirit. He treats her as an equal, not as a mindless sexual object as José would. Raoul embodies the moral men of Parisian society who do not see illness as a negative implication to one’s integrity and self worth.
As the film progresses, the audience sees a pivotal shift in Cléo’s character development when she enters the outdoor park. This setting serves as an existentialist motif as she has time to ponder her life while surrounded by lots of children playing, symbolizing youth, and nature. She then meets a French soldier, Antoine, who is about to leave the following day to serve in the Algerian War. He provides Cléo with in-depth and authentic insights that go far beyond what José and Raoul had left her previously. Through acknowledging the harsh potential reality of death, the two formulate a unique bond. By asking questions about herself and challenging her perspectives, it is one of the first times that Cléo is being intellectually stimulated outside of her comfort zone. Quickly, Antoine’s reassurance and affirmations allow her to feel a sense of calmness and override her anxiety. His influence has transformed her to be present in an existential mind and accepting of a potential mortality in a way that is inspiring rather than grim.
Varda’s use of the different men throughout the film speaks to the variety of men that women may come across in their life while in the face of adversity. This is applicable to society both in the past and present, for women may find their identity to be entangled within the patriarchal ideals which often dominate parts of their day-to-day lives. Varda’s creation of juxtaposing characters, particularly José and Antoine, allows the audience to understand the effects of male’s attitudes towards women’s adversities. Cléo 5 à 7 does an exceptional job at highlighting implications of patriarchal society through these timeless, socially, and culturally rich messages.
Comments