Liberté 2

I began this project by noting similarities between Montaigne and Julie, the protagonist of “Three Colors: Blue.” Both had experienced painful loss in their lives, and in reaction, they withdrew to a place of greater emotional control and comfort.

But what I find interesting about the narrative arcs of them both is that liberty has a funny way of shape shifting. Yes, you can withdraw from the world and find a safer space, centered more on you. While you’re there, you discover things about yourself: your core values, inspirations, aspects of life that require others to enjoy fully or do at all.

And so this journey to personal liberty takes on a new form, one which is about reintegrating into life in a way that accentuates your strengths and values, allowing you to enjoy the company of others while not becoming enslaved to their definitions of you.

Personally, I believe that the kind of dramatic, full scale withdrawals both Montaigne and Julie pulled off are excessive. A more effective way to preserve your individuality while still being engaged with people in a positive manner is to strategically withdraw. By that I mean simply don’t make yourself as available to others as much as they’ve become accustomed — make them not only miss your presence, but the specific qualities that you bring to work, hobbies or even just hanging out. And if they don’t miss you, that’s useful information too, perhaps those are connections you no longer need.

So we return to this troublesome pairing of Julie and Olivier. I have numerous problems with it, and yes, part of it is probably tied up in my own deep attraction to Juliette Binoche circa 1993. But aside from that, we know that Olivier claims to be in love with her. She assumed that was purely a physical attraction. They had sex. So, what’s at the core of the attraction now? Why does Olivier still need her? What does he even know about her?

We, the moviegoing audience, see a whole lot to love about Julie. Despite her ruthlessly efficient way of shutting herself off, she’s a deeply caring human being who sticks her neck out for others. We can also tell that she has some unique level of musical inspiration in her, to the point that Patrice’s symphony is haunting her, not letting her walk away. But Olivier knows none of this.

Despite all of the manipulative things Olivier has done, we next see Julie at his apartment collaborating on the music. She knows on some level that she has to complete this work and she wants it to turn out as best as possible. Does she actually want to help Olivier on some level? I guess so. But up until now, they had never collaborated, so it’s not like she’s trying to revive a past bond. Rather, she is probably reaching back to something in her relationship with Patrice that was important to her. As difficult as we sense her marriage was, Patrice and she shared something powerful in the musical collaboration they carried on.

Olivier is playing a section of the score on the piano. Julie listens, then walks over to his bookshelf. She pulls a Bible from the shelf and asks Olivier if he knows what the chorus was supposed to be singing at this point. He says no and Julie seems surprised that Patrice didn’t tell. She says the cadence is different in Greek. Olivier looks over her shoulder to see, what we later find out, is 1 Corinthians 13:

If I speak in the tongue of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

Olivier moves closer to her, as if to initiate an act of affection with her, but she turns to him and asks who was the woman in the photos shown on tv? Olivier seems surprised that she did not know. Under further questioning, we find out that the affair had gone on for several years and that she’s a lawyer or perhaps an intern for a judge. Olivier asks what Julie intends to do.

What follows is another musically-induced blackout, the longest of the film so far. As she comes out of it, Julie smiles and says “I intend to meet her.”