Lady Chatterly

Upon further examination of the French film Lady Chatterly, I realized the importance of the soundscape of the film. Because of the advanced web of subtleties it takes to truly portray (and indeed embody) a romantic affair, especially when it comes to the forbidden, secret relationship of Lady Chatterly and the handsome groundskeeper. The director utilizes silences, the sounds of nature, soft music, and the full spectrum of volume to emphasize the complexities of the character's emotions, especially in relation to one another.

Take the scene at the bottom of the hill after Lady Chatterly and her husband argue about the value of the lower class. Lord Chatterly, in an attempt to prove his ability to take care of himself, tries to wheel himself up the steep hill without his wife's help. No music plays, instead we hear the soft stir of wind through the grass, a few quiet birds, a stillness in the air, and most pointedly the wheezing of Lord Chatterly's chair. When the gardener comes into the scene the fruitless spluttering of the engine cuts through the tension between characters, allowing the audience a bit of comic relief from the obviously painful moment wherein it is proven to Lady Chatterky that her husband is weak in mind and body while her new lover proves his capability in all aspects, including patience and grace. When the engine inevitably gives out each time, the only sounds left are the disturbed quietness of nature (wind, fewer birds) and the increasingly exastperated breaths of Mr. Chatterly. This, along with sparse, choppy dialogue of the characters, clearly portrays the real-life feel of a woman forced to interact with both her husband and lover. The audience ultimately experiences this because of the true-to-life soundscape of the scene.

I also realized through our discussion in class that th issues brought up in the film's content could be viewed through the lens of love. Bu this I mean specifically the place of women in different societies, especially in an earlier time of our history and in other parts of the world. How do women in, say, India view love when some of their marraiges are still arranged? How does a woman, trying to fit into an aristocratic 18th century society, view what it is to love when her true desire would doom her to a peasant's life? Ultimately, from a writer's standpoint, I noted that society has everything to do with how a character comes at a love affair. The gardener essentially could lose his job, but could easily get another like it, while Lady Chatterly would face public shame and the stern hand of her husband, ultimately ruining her life of luxury. These consequences aren't really mentioned but instead are inherent in the actions and facial expressions of the characters.