Movie Entry #3 Indochine

Laurie Troutman
Professor Larry Tung
Travel: French Cinema
Diary # 3

Indochine

Indochine, directed by Regis Wargnier, is a 1992 French film. This film intertwines both French and Vietnamese cultures. It voices the story of a young Indochinese girl named Camille. Camille’s character is played by Linh Dam Pham. Her mother in the film, Madame Eliane, is played by Cathrine Deneuve. She was nominated for best actress, however the film actually won for best foreign film in 1992. The roles these two woman play complete this film. They seek for love, passion and freedom in a world where it’s hard to come by.
Indochine, set in modern Vietnam, tells the story of young Camille. From very early on in her childhood, there was death, despair and sorrow. When she was young her parents died in a plane crash. Soon after little Camille was adopted by Eliane Devries, a French landowner. Since Camille was parentless and Eliane was childless, the two joined as one family together. Camille’s parents were Royalty, so when Eliane adopted Camille she inherited a great deal of wealth and properties of land. Madame Eliane a proud controlling woman, owned a rubber plantation. Despite her certain ways, it seemed she loved and took care of Camille unconditionally.
In addition to, Madame Eliane soon meet a young handsome French Marine, named Jean Baptiste. They begin a love affair that quickly turns from extraordinary to non existent. Eliane wanted to protect Camille of all her casual affairs, and to leave no trace of them. Eliane might have successfully hide her affairs from her daughter, but Eliane’s father was surely not amused. In his worries of losing his daughter, he offered Jean money. After arguing back and forth they settled on a high price. Until Jean turned to him and told him no, some things don’t have a price.
Afterward Jean Baptiste left and was not see again for a short time. Madame became distort over his absence, but hide her distress. When Jean arrived back, things would not be the same for anyone.
In the stages of growing up, Camille began wanting to know more about love. Who and when it would right for her? Simply in Camille’s tradition of culture, she was about to have a arranged marriage. She was writing letters and talking to a young man who was studying in France. However, a twist of events would soon change all that, upon Jean Baptiste re arrival.
In a near death experience, almost being shot by a French police officer, Jean comes to Camille’s rescue. As soon as Camille awakens she begins to fall in love with Jean instantly. You can see her love for him in her eyes. Camille goes to her mother and confides to her, her love for Jean Baptiste. Not telling her daughter a word of their previous affair, she had Jean sent way to a remote military location. Did she have the right? Madame controls everything around her, her daughter, colonies, like her father controlled her. She doesn’t want anyone around her to have freedom or make decisions for themselves.
Despite everything, this does not deter Camille, it perhaps even makes her stronger. Camille leaves her home and begins her journey to find Jean. Along in her travels, she finds a Vietnamese family. As a result she becomes close with them as they travel together.
Camille finally reaches the island where Jean is. However she comes to realize, the island is used as a slave market. Jean looks out into the crowd and spots a familiar face, it was Camille. He grabs her by the hand to bring her to safety once again. The other officers however become enraged in what Jean is doing. Camille quickly turns and sees the Vietnamese family she traveled with has been killed. Camille becomes infuriated, takes a gun and kills a French officer right in the head. Whisking her by his side, Jean takes her and they sail away. For days they sail and sail until they are rescued by communists, and are brought to a place where they can hide.
Upon their stay, Camille becomes pregnant, and delivers a healthy baby boy. Soon after, Jean and the baby are captured by the French, and Camille is captured and imprisoned as well. Shortly after that, Jean is then murdered while lying in bed with his son. The baby boy is brought to Madame Eliane, where he is raised by her from a young boy.
Madame Eliane meets with her daughter Camille when she is released. However, Camille tells her that she has seen to much and has joined with the communist party. When Madame and the boy (much older now) go back to France, they get a chance to meet Camille. You would think he would want to meet his mother, but he declines the offer. He feels that Madame Eliane has raised him his whole life, and that she is his mother, not Camille. Has he to been controlled and brainwashed by Eliane?
So therefore in watching the film Indochine, I felt it was sort of a soap opera. A romantic drama of love, religion, politics, and death. It centered on a mother and daughter who loved the same man. A daughter who wanted to find herself, love on her own, and wanted to be free. I thought the movie was good, but not my favorite out of the three movies I have chosen. It was a long film, that perhaps dragged on in some spots. However I did enjoy the ending and was intrigued in what was going to happen with the characters. The movie itself and cinematography was excellent. The different shots were unique in there style as well as the locations where the movie was filmed. Besides it being a dramatic beautiful movie, it was also was very rich in history and educational.