Section C New horizons
Online chapter
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Case study: Amélie
Country: France
French title: Le Fabuleux destin
d’Amélie Poulain
Production year: 2001
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Certificate: 15
Main awards:
BAFTA – Best Production Design,
Best Original Screenplay
European Film Awards – Best Film
César Awards – four awards
including Best Film and Best
Director
1 Promotional poster for Amélie
In this case study we will cover:
some of the organisations and processes involved in the production
of Amélie
the themes and issues raised within the film
the ways in which people, places and events are represented
the style and genre of the film
possible creative responses.
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
Synopsis
2 The Two Windmills Café
where Amélie works
Amélie is the story of Amélie Poulain, a girl who
grows up isolated from other children. Her father,
Raphael, an ex-Army doctor, mistakenly believes she
is suffering from a heart condition. Amélie’s mother
dies in a freak accident when she is young. This
causes Raphael to devote his life to building a shrine
in the garden in her memory. Left to amuse herself,
Amélie develops an unusually active imagination. When she grows up, she becomes a
waitress in a small café run by a circus performer where she decides to spend her life
helping others.
After a series of adventures involving eccentric characters, Amélie is forced to
examine her own life and her attraction to Nino, a young man who collects discarded
photographs left on photo booths. Finally, Amélie overcomes her shyness, meets with
Nino, and begins a relationship.
Activity 1
AO3: Demonstrate planning, research and presentational skills
In groups create a picture of the ‘typical’ French man or French woman.
Think carefully about what they might wear, how they might look, important
elements of their personalities, hobbies, likes and dislikes.
Label your picture and compare it with those of the other groups in the class.
How realistic do you think these pictures are?
How many French actors and actresses can you name?
Are they like your pictures in any way?
Introduction
Amélie was directed and co-written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, one of a newer breed of
French directors whose films are sometimes referred to as the ‘cinema du look’. His films
have been popular all over the world and his background in animation shows through
in his imaginative approach to film-making.
The films of Jeunet and his peers have not always met with critical approval in his home
country, Amélie being turned down by the Cannes Film Festival. More generally though,
Amélie was hailed in France as a positive statement of what it means to be French.
However, Jeunet’s next film, A Very Long Engagement (2004), once again caused a
national film controversy. Set in France with French subject matter in the French
language, its status as a French film was called into question due to the $55 million
Warner Brothers provided for the budget. This shows that debates about how the
nationality of a film and its financing interact are not just a feature of the British film
industry. Despite all this ‘cultural agonising’, Amélie offers the viewer an imaginative and
charming view of the world that appeals to audiences of all nationalities . . .
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
Themes and issues
3 Themes and issues in Amélie
Innocence and
simplicity
Happiness
Childhood
Outsiders
The strongest theme in Amélie is simplicity. It is unashamed in the joy its characters
take in the simple things in life. In pursuing her mission Amélie does not discuss any
grand purpose, merely the desire to make people happy. This works well and flies in
the face of much modern cinema as the audience and characters alike experience
Amélie’s brand of happiness. Her world is not totally without ‘reality checks’ as not all
of her schemes work as perfectly as she hopes. For example, the relationship between
Georgette (Isabelle Nanty) and Joseph (Dominique Pinon) eventually breaks down.
The theme of simplicity in life works closely with the importance the film puts on
childhood. Both central characters are deprived of a ‘normal childhood’ as the film
puts it – Amélie because she had too few friends and Nino because he had too many.
How many of the characters were shaped and the situations they find themselves in
are traced back to their childhoods. The film does not quite yearn for childhood as
strongly as it might but the simple pleasures of the adults mirror the simpler pleasures
of childhood.
It also appeals to the ‘outsider’ in all of us, how our character quirks and flaws seem to
place us outside of the ‘normal’ world. Everyone in the film has his or her own personal
problems or situations going on, much as we all do. It has that quality of reflection
on what is important in life best summed up in Dominique Bretodeau’s (Maurice
Bénichou) reaction to rediscovering his childhood treasure:
To a kid time drags, all of a sudden you are fifty.
If we can find any theme beyond a general ‘feel-good’ factor then the reminder to make
the most of the time we have is perhaps the most important.
Representation
Amélie is often described as a modern fairy tale, which on the whole is a fair summary.
The film is a digitally enhanced version of a quirky and amusingly observed reality.
It takes place in an idealised version of the world. The heightened reality is further
underscored with its inner city Paris location. The portrayal of a modern metropolitan
city as a clean and community minded world is a French equivalent of harking back to
simpler times (the 1950s) in our own country. From the first moments, as the accordion
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
music wafts in over the opening titles, we know almost certainly that we are not about
to witness a gritty and realistic portrayal of contemporary urban France.
Activity 2
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how films communicate
AO2: Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics
Watch the opening 1 minute 20 seconds of Amélie twice. On the first viewing focus
upon the way that Paris is represented.
On the second viewing, pause the film on the first frame which shows the Rue
St. Vincent, Montmartre. Make notes on the mise-en-scène; think about the way
colour is used. Note down what is included in the frame and why.
Move onto the second frame which foregrounds the table and chairs. What is
shown in the background?
Finally, watch the third frame where Eugene Colere is writing in his diary. What do
we see in the background?
Consider what kind of Paris is being represented in these opening frames. Think
about the use of accordion music, sepia tints and panoramic shots. Do you see
anything that represents modern life?
Key terms
CGI: computer-generated
imagery
The film is supposed to be set in 1997 at the time of Princess Diana’s death. When you
watch the rest of the film, notice how many of the elements of modern life have been
removed. What is represented is a virtual reality CGI Paris which provides the setting for
a light, elegant romance which includes elements of fantasy with all negative elements
such as poverty and racism magicked away.
The story revolves around the life of the title character, Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou).
The tone for the film is set when the short opening sequence is given over to her early
life. It begins at the moment of conception and concludes with her leaving home for
Paris. The sequence is sharp, funny and imaginatively depicted. This is heightened by
a strange sense of precision in the characters and events it depicts; the timings, for
example, are given to the second.
Activity 3
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how films communicate
AO2: Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics
Watch the opening sequence of Amélie through twice.
How are the characters introduced to us? Think about the use of a narrator and
what we are told about each person and the kinds of camera shots that are used.
What do we learn about Amélie in this sequence? What kind of adult do we think
she might grow up to be?
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
Once Amélie reaches Paris she settles into her life
as a waitress in the Two Windmills café. A short
montage is used again to illustrate the ins and outs
and experiments of her everyday life. The intrusion
of reality that starts the change in Amélie’s life is the
death of Princess Diana and Amélie’s discovery of a
small boy’s treasure trove.
4 Little Amélie alone
Amélie resolves to return this to its owner, as a test
for her idea about making the world a better place,
and her mission begins. While on this mission she
must also find the courage to overcome her shyness
and talk to Nino Quincampoix (Mathieu Kassovitz), a young man as strange as Amélie
herself. As one would expect the movie concludes, as all fairy tales should, with a happy
ending or what in modern terms is described as an ending with ‘the feel-good factor’.
Style and genre
Amélie is a comedy and some of the jokes are both funny and delightful (the suicidal
goldfish is one that immediately springs to mind). Even the death of Amélie’s mother
by a falling tourist is blackly amusing. In using humour we are encouraged not to take
the film too seriously and are reminded about how absurdly funny life can be, even in
its darkest moments.
As mentioned earlier, Jeunet’s roots in animation show through in the style of Amélie.
The use of special effects is considerable but not intrusive: it is often only on reflection
that we realise how much of a special effect we have been watching. If we are to judge
how far the Paris of Amélie is idealised, we need look no further than the many scenes
that are staged in underground or railway stations. They are unnaturally clean and
free of the wear and tear we would expect in these kinds of places; all of the waste,
graffiti, etc. has been digitally removed. The overall style of the film presents its subject
matter in a cinematic warming glow, ‘rose-tinted spectacles’ if you like. The successful
construction of this world is complete when we find neither a talking photograph, nor
a sex shop, in any way unusual or out of place.
Activity 4
AO2: Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics
Review Chapter 2 of the DVD.
What techniques are used to speed up time at the start of this sequence?
Since most of the film is about Amélie as an adult, why do you think we began from the moment Amélie was
born? What important events in young Amélie’s life were shown? Why were they included?
What kinds of shots are frequently used to show the adult Amélie? Why are so many close-ups used?
We get information from what we see on the screen, from captions and from dialogue. There are at least two
other important ways in terms of sound that allow us to learn more about Amélie’s world. What do you think
these are?
What effect does it have on the audience when Amélie talks directly to them?
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
Summary
So why should we watch such a quirkily French film? Answer: if for no other reason
than it shows us how imaginatively the world can be portrayed. Simple life and simple
things are dealt with without having to reduce them to the humdrum nastiness of the
soap opera. We need look no further than the movie tag line: ‘Amélie – she’ll change
your life’.
This may not be forever but it is certainly for the duration of the movie and the longer
than usual amount of time it stays in the memory.
5 Amélie shows us the way to
enjoy life’s simple pleasures
Activity 5
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how films communicate
Write a user review about Amélie for a website. You can discuss what you have liked
or disliked about the film. You may also want to consider other people’s responses,
e.g. those of classmates or film critics.
Here are some important questions you may want to consider in your review:
– Was the film entertaining? Did it make you laugh? Which were the funniest
moments?
– Did Amélie’s star, Audrey Tautou, give a special kind of performance? What is it
about her that appeals to an audience?
– What kind of people and places are created by the director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet? Is
the film meant to be realistic? If not, why not?
– How well do the elements of romance and comedy mix in the film?
– Would you recommend it to others? Who?
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Section C, Case study: Amélie
Examiner’s tip
You may be set a creative task like this for Question 3 of the ‘New horizons:
Exploring film outside Hollywood’ examination. Make sure you look at several
examples of website user reviews before you begin this task. Check the spellings
of the names of characters, stars and the director and consider how the film’s
language is used to communicate meaning and appeal to an audience. If you
want to really impress the examiner you could even compare Amélie to some of
Jeunet’s other films!
Additional resources
Amélie can be seen as a ‘gateway’ film to help us overcome the fear of French
language films with English subtitles to read, even if it is limited to Jeunet’s other
films:
Delicatessen (1991) A comedy set in a near future world where people have
become cannibals in a strangely charming way. Within this we follow the story of
two awkward lovers who struggle to stay together, incompetently supported by a
band of vegetarian freedom fighters.
City of Lost Children (1995) A world where ‘happy ever after’ is just a dream. An
ex-whale harpooner, a circus strong man and an orphan embark on a mission of
rescue.
A Very Long Engagement (2004) A First World War story of a woman’s search for her
lost fiancé (featuring a fluent French speaking Jodie Foster).
Alien Resurrection (1997) Jeunet’s only English language film. ‘It’s been more than
200 years . . . the beginning has just started’ reads the tag line.
Outside of Jean-Pierre Jeunet is the wider world of French film. Amélie uses three
clips from François Truffaut’s French New Wave film Jules et Jim. This potentially opens
another, much wider, door to French film.
Additional resources
Director’s commentary: Amélie DVD
Websites include:
www.imdb.com: a portal into a number of excellent reviews
Café Society: www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/15
Amélie: Wikipedia
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