Summary
Nana works in a record shop but dreams of being an actress. Having split up with
her husband, she drifts into the life of a Parisian prostitute. Her world is a mixture
of torment and joy as she struggles to make something of her life. In the end, she
finds that it is not her life to live after all....
Review
One of the most significant films of the French New Wave, Vivre sa vie is quintessentially
Jean-Luc Godard at his best. The approach used in this film is quite different to
his earlier films. Here, we have twelve tableaux – distinct episodes which
illustrate the unfolding life of the tragic Nana. It is an approach which
works well, not only for its novelty value but because it allows Godard to adopt a very
different mood and style for each segment of the film. As a result, every scene
has a surprising personal depth and impact, heightened by some ingenious photography and
often profound dialogue.
Nana is played by
the delightful Anna Karina, Godard’s wife at the time. The director and his
subject work very well together. Nana is a beautifully crafted creation, like an
artist’s portrait of his beloved wife (an analogy which Godard uses very powerfully
in one segment of the film).
The slightly off the
wall humour, the crude editing, the abrupt and shocking ending – all the traits
that marked out a New Wave film are here in force. But above that, Vivre
sa vie has a poetic eloquence and lucidity of expression that makes this a truly memorable
and worthy film.
© James Travers 2000
For more on Jean-Luc Godard see:
The life of Jean-Luc Godard
Best of the French New Wave
A bout de souffle
Alphaville
Masculin, féminin
Le Mépris
Pierrot le fou
Eloge de l'amour
Buy films by Jean-Luc Godard
More about the French New Wave
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