On the Edge of Desire: La Marge and the Lives Behind the Screen
When La Marge (1976) debuted in French cinemas, it was more than a film about crime, passion, and existential wanderings; it was also a reflexion on the restlessness of the zeitgeist. Walerian Borowczyk directed the film which depicts the story of a man on the margins — on the outskirts of society, and on the borders of his own emotions. Nevertheless, the film became a mirror, not only for the characters, but also for the actors who played those roles, for the intricate and multilayered narrative of their own lives and the personal odyssey each was undergoing at the time.
A Man in the Midst of Duty and Desire
At the center of La Marge is Gérard, “A businessman, whose life on the surface was well ordered, was in fact losing control of things,” as the acclaimed French actor Michel Piccoli, who played the role of Gérard, put it. One night, after a casual dinner with a wealthy client, he finds himself drawn into the seedy underworld of Paris — a world of nightclubs, prostitutes, and clandestine desires.
The narrative begins with Gérard moving through a dark Paris, interacting with sex workers, gamblers, and criminals, and dealing with his own moral contradictions. His meetings include psychological and emotional components, showcasing the complexity of a man attempting to balance a contradiction in the public sphere and unsatisfied longings in the private sphere. Much of Gérard’s development illustrates the themes of alienation, and the discord between public duties and private obsessions.
Watch Free Movies on MyFlixer-to.click