Do you want to hear a story about a girl holding a spoon, cheerfully smiling, and breaking the fourth wall, directly staring through the audience, as you may have seen her picture if you are a PC gamer recently? She is one of the most beloved fictional characters from the French movie ‘Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain’.
To be completely honest, admiring a French film is tough. Their movies are weird, but beautiful. But their movies are so fun to watch.
Amélie is regarded as one of the must-see French films all over the world. It is extremely famous, even to this date, and was released in 2001.
A Small Spoiler-Free Plot Reveal
Born on a bright sunny day in 1974, Amelie’s parents named her ‘Poulain’. Assuming that she might have a heart defect (in reality, she didn’t have any heart defects), they decided to have an in-house tutor instead of taking her to school. They just neglected her in terms of taking care of her. Amelie grew up to be imaginative but mischievous.
Later on in her life, her mother died in an accident. She had no one else left except her father. At the age of eighteen, after leaving her home, she started working as a waitress in a cafe.
After a few years passed, in 1997, the death of Princess Diana shocked her so much that Amélie slipped her perfume stopper and accidentally discovered a box behind the wall, which she chose to bring back to its owner. She makes it happen by doing so, and she feels nice and joyful. She now has a strong desire to help others spread joy. Thus, such a small event has dramatically changed her life.
Context of Jeunet’s Art Direction
Although Amélie’s plot and mystical elements make the picture seem ludicrous, there is more to understand if we are given context.
Such as nostalgia regarding early twentieth-century Paris, a tribute to French New Wave films, and an appreciation of food as a memory.
A sense of nostalgia for Ancient Paris
To fully appreciate Amélie’s ethnic and social setting, it’s worth noting that Jean-Pierre Jeunet (the film’s director) was living in California before filming it and was homesick. He aimed to convey a nostalgic vision of Paris.
Jeunet also addresses modern society’s problems at the dawn of the twenty-first century, such as globalization, loneliness, crime, and unemployment, which were all on the rise in Paris and appeared hard for regular people to alter.
He seeks satisfaction in small things, such as ordinary pleasures and reconnecting with our childhood routines. Jeunet, like his character Amélie, seeks contentment in the film by avoiding current reality.
Jeunet’s Paris is quite like a “fairy-tale Paris.” We fail to notice the frantic honks and trumpets that are going on in Paris traffic.
We don’t see visitors, beggars, or filthy metro stations (luckily, we lack the stench of the Parisian streets).
The fabled tale Paris can be somewhat tricky at times. Montmartre, like the rest of Paris, is a fairly cosmopolitan city. More culturally diverse characters, including Lucien and Nino, have no last initial and are given the commonly French last moniker “Quincampoix”.
Moulin Rouge
Rather, the characters that appear in Cafés des 2 Moulins have peculiar “Parisian” characteristics and offer typical French comedy. Suzanne’s limp is the result of her lover’s carelessness. Georgette, a hypochondriac, and Joseph, whom Gina had previously rejected, hooked it off.
Amélie mimics this “Proustian” attitude in the film by focusing on French cuisine. The montage of little Amélie nibbling grapes with her fingers alludes to the effect that food has on our memories. This reflects Jeunet’s broader desire for a Parisian existence free of modern troubles.
Amélie’s “subservient dwelling” is the café, one of Paris’ oldest performing arts spaces, and the nearby épicerie, where Collignon and Lucien serve. When Amélie shows the blind guy, he sees the entire street of little food businesses such as the patisserie, a yogurt shop (fromagerie), and a hog butcher business.
These classic cuisine establishments are all vital aspects of daily life that testify to the French ethnic character.
Technical Appreciation of the film
The cinematography looked so good, with a warm yellow palette. Everyone who has seen the film will grow to love Poulain’s enthusiasm.
Music has been a memorable symphony. It has been one of the greatest soundtracks so far. Why not give it a listen? Try this.
The Fabulous Destiny of Amélie Pauline, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, is like a photo album; everyone would enjoy comparing their moments of life with Amélie.
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Writer
Sadi Reza
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE