“Vive Sa Vie” and Bits and Pieces

In one of my all-time favorite movie scenes, in Jean-Luc Godard’s  “Vive Sa Vie,” the protagonist Nana takes a break from a relentless plot that has driven her into sex work in Paris and made her victim to a series of ridiculous and ill-meaning men. But here, she meets philosopher Brice Parain and the two have a very intellectual, philosophical discussion about the nature of language and thought that in the end veers into a discussion of love. Pay close attention to the end of this clip, because Parain uses Montaigne’s language about “bits and pieces.”

Godard’s film opens with Montaigne’s quote about lending ourselves to others, so I assume the “bits and pieces” line was intentional as well.