2021 at 68
What is the meaning of jealous madness? Can a man be driven insane by his jealousy? The film, L'Enfer, examines this sickness in detail. In so doing, it also peers into the mind of a man descending into psychotic paranoia.
Directed by Claude Chabrol in 1993, this thriller is a psychological study of a man in conflict with himself. It stars Emmanuelle Beart as Neilly, a beautiful newlywed wife of Paul, Francois Cluzet, the upwardly mobile owner of a hotel resort. Both of these actors are excellently cast. Beart is notably good as the misunderstood spouse. Cluzet's raging temper made me remember painful episodes from my relationships, where jealousy was at the bottom of it all. Thankfully, I've grown older and wiser these days.
The story opens with a happy couple, Paul and Neilly, newlyweds who have purchased a vacation resort in the French countryside. Paul is ambitious, and his wife is stunningly beautiful and devoted to him. To add to the idyll, they are graced with a son in the opening sequences. The son plays a minor role, as a counterpoint to Paul's gathering sexual paranoia. He represents innocence pitted against naked cynicism. All seems well for the lovers. They have a lucrative business, friends in their employ, and a promising future. From here, the film traces Paul's descent into a jealous, psychotic suspicion that his wife is unfaithful to him. However, Chabrol does not explain the reasons behind this aberrant behavior. It is this lack of explanation that increases the introspective power of the film.
Chabrol develops the plot with a precise rationality. At first, Paul doubts his wife is having an affair. Soon, his doubt turns to suspicion. And his suspicions seem to be very well-founded; a viewer can imagine that he might be right about his wife's machinations. She lies about some minor matters as his inquiries become more insistent and probing. Anybody who has ever been in an adulterous affair (as I admit I have) will recognize the elements of deception: lying about when and where you were and making excuses to get away from your spouse. What is worse, the suspect party expresses irritation when questioning becomes more incisive. This is what Neilly does. She reacts to Paul's continual prying into her personal life with increasing resistance. But, isn't this indicative that she's having an affair?
Initially, a viewer can't ascertain who is right. This shadowy implication gives L'Enfer a tense edge in its early stages. This narrow line between pretension and reality is played out with well-scripted dialogue. It is reminiscent of one of Alfred Hitchcock's masterpieces: Rear Window. Paul becomes voyeuristic as he tries to discover his wife's whereabouts and intentions, much as Jimmy Stewart became obsessed with Raymond Burr's actions in Rear Window. Paul, however, also has serious mental problems. We begin to see that Paul is a sick man and not just a jealous husband. This movie is not just about a jealous husband and recalcitrant wife, but is a look at a schizophrenic man and his struggle with insanity.
I could identify with Paul's mistrust at the outset quite easily. When Paul grilled Neilly about her visit to her mother's place, I could see his side, so to speak. The personal identification was quickly dispensed when Paul's suspicions turned swiftly into delusions. The use of voice-overs with alteration of voice timber to make it sound fanatic gave the effect of a schizoid personality emerging in the character.
As the film draws in the viewer, you can't help but feel how out of touch Paul is with reality. His descent into madness becomes clearer as the final sequences are played out. It gives the film a sense of a grotesque sculpture being revealed layer by layer. With each layer ripped away, Paul becomes more and more psychotic and dangerous. It's tragic conclusion is telegraphed for sure, but the shock of his action is not diminished. You want to tell Paul to wake up, to stop suspecting his wife, to stop suspecting those close friends and anyone else he encounters. You sit there helpless to correct a man in the throes of mental collapse and wonder if you could ever behave like this.
Yes, there are subtle undercurrents in this film. Sexual inadequacy, aggression, and mistrust are a few understated themes, and the possessive nature of sexuality between men and women is another. L'Enfer hints at this tension. Chabrol also focuses on the innocence of a woman, abused by a domineering man through these characters, and that unsettled me. After all, there are many female Pauls in domesticity, and just as dangerous, if not more. They don't batter and maim their partners, but in many cases, can with stealth and deceit, kill just as easily.
This tragedy is modern in style but timeless in nature. It is also, food for thought to a married couple, anywhere.
Robleh Wais 5/10/99
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