Danton Does Not Sing La Marseillaise: Andrzej Wajda, Jean Renoir, and Their French Revolutions

DantonDoesNotSingLa Marseillaise:AndrzejWajda,Jean Renoir,andTheirFrenchRevolutions REGINAJANES Septembriseurs:ExceptforJamesGillray'scheerfulstudyofthepleasuresofcannibalism ,UnpetitsouperÃlaparisienne,OrAfamilyof sansculottesrefreshingafterthefatiguesoftheday(1792),theperpetra- torsoftheSeptembermassacreshavebeencelebrated,execrated,andex- ploitedprincipallyinprint.FortendaysinParis,aftertheattackonthe TuileriesandbeforethevictoryatValmy,whilePrussianarmiesadvanced towardsthecity,organizedbandstriedandkilledtheinmatesofthecity's prisons.Themassacresbeganinanattackoncertaincounterrevolutionary priests,underarrestandunderguard,andspreadintotheprisons.Mostof thosekilledwerecommoncriminals,somepriests,andafewaristocrats, includingMarieAntoinette'sfavorite,thePrincessedeLamballe.Asalways, thepresenceofafewimportantpeopleweightsthescales,andGillray's satireperpetuatesaconventionalmistakenimageofthemassacresasclass struggle,withstarvedandbeggarlysansculottesconsumingplump,pam- pered,beautiful,andthereforearistocratic,bodies.GeorgesDantonwasthe ministerofjusticewhodidnothingtoimpedethecarnage,andsomesources allegethatmembersofthebrigadefromMarseille,sopivotalinthefallof theTuileries,alsomadethemselvesconspicuousintheconductoftheorga- nizedslaughterofSeptember.NeitherAndrzejWajda'sDanton(1982)nor JeanRenoir'sLaMarseillaise(1938)alludestotheSeptemberevents. 293 294/JANES Thisisalittleodd,sincetheprincipalcharactersinbothfilmswereimpli- catedinthemassacresandRenoir'sfilmtraversestheperiod.Yetneither RenoirnorWajdaglancesinthatdirection,neithersnuffstheairforblood, neitheracknowledgestheconceptualcomplicationsofsuchrecurrentvio- lence.Quitedeliberately,eachturnsawayfromthatcomplicationtoattendto anotheragenda.Bothinventrevolutionsandcharactersbasedonhistorical ones;bothsimplifytherealitiesfromwhichtheyspring;andbothdeceivethe innocentviewerwhotakesthefilmsfor"history."Norcouldtherevolutions theyrepresentandreinventbemorediametricallyopposed. JeanRenoir'sLaMarseillaiseisahappyfilm,theFrenchrevolutionas humancomedy.Subtitled"Achronicleofsomeeventsleadingtothefallof themonarchy"(LaMarseillaiseChroniquedequelquesfaitsayantcontribué ÃlachutedelaMonarchie),thefilmtravelsthroughFrancefromVersailles inJuly1789totheroadbeforeValmy,justbeforethepivotalbattleinSep- tember1792.SogenialisRenoir'saccountthateveryone,fromthekingand queendownthesocialscaletothedockersofMarseilleandavagabond,is amiableoramusing.Representativesoftheoldorderwhomightseemthreat- ening,aristocratsandgentlemen,armedwiththelaworswords,aremade ridiculousbytheirpretensionsandtheirhelplessnessinthefaceofpopular action.Ifapoachingpeasantisthreatenedwiththegalleys,hissympathizers inthecourtroomhelphimescape.WhenabourgeoisJacobindeclaims(too prophetically)againstwomenspeakingatthetribune,thesansculottesover- whelmhimwiththeirprotests.AsanaristocraticarmyisformingatCoblenz, itssympathizersspendtheirtimeplayingwithyoyos,1listeningtonostalgic songsaboutProvence,andtryingtorememberhow,atVersailles,oneturned inthegavotte.Fear,hatred,andclassantagonism,themotivesofmassacre andTerror,arenotentirelyabsent,buttheyarepeculiarlypackaged.They arecarriedbyaplumppainter,apaunchy,provincialDavid.Exclaiming violentlyagainstarmiesofaristocratsandrefractorypriests,heisstillonlya blusteringFalstaff,hiswordsasharmlessasthetubofgutshebearsinfront ofhim.Thatvisiblephysicalimpedimenttotheviolencedemandedbyhis languageisverballysupplementedbymoreresponsiblecharacters.Their repliestohimdispelthethreatofviolence. Perhapsthesinglescenethatbestdefinesthefilm'stoneisthefallofthe fortatMarseilletorepublicancitizensbearingaTrojanwinebarrel.Two citizenspropelacaskintothefort,pasttheouterguard.Astheyhangabout tocadgeatipple,thereleapsout,insteadofthepromisedBandol,acitizen withapistol!Thefortistakenwithoutviolence,infraternalembracings.2 WhentheTuileriesfallson10August,therearedeaths,includingthatofthe film'smostingratiatinghero,yetthereisstillnothingsordidorgrimorgrisly inthefilm'srepresentationofdeathandviolence.Althoughtheytookplace DantonDoesNotSingLaMarseillaise/295 betweentheattackontheTuileriesandthelastsceneofthefilm,theSeptem- bermassacresareconspicuouslyabsent.ThatanyoitheseMarseillaisshould havebeenseptembriseursisunimaginable,impossible:don'teventhinkabout it.Renoir'sfilmisaromp,andso,byassociation,wastheRevolution. VerydifferentisAndrzejWajda'sDanton,focusedontheperiodinearly 1794,whenDantonandRobespierrestruggledovertheTerrorandDanton fell.Wajdameetsalltherequirementsofbourgeoisseriousnessrelativeto theRevolution:theguillotinelooms,theDeclarationoftheRightsofMan andCitizenisrecited,theprisonsarepacked,deathisrealandhorrible. UnlikeearlierfilmsabouttheRevolution,thevieweractuallyseestheguil- lotineworking,intechnicolor,withbloodpouringdowntheslatsandahead heldup.3TheheadisDanton's,andWajdadoesnottroublehisfilmwiththe shadowscastbyapossibleretributivejustice.UnlikeGeorgBüchner's,this Danton'sconnectionwiththeSeptembermassacresiserased,tofocusonhis oppositiontotheTerror.TheRevolution,itisclear,wasmomentous,deep, dark,anddangerous,butnotmorallycomplex. Atthislevelofdiscussion,thetwofilmssimplyarticulateconventional attitudestowardstwophasesoftheRevolution:theblissfulperiodfrom1789to1792whenFranceandEuropestoodonthetopofgoldenhours,andthe nightmarefrom1792to1794whenawakenedreasonproducedhermon- sters.BurkehoversatWajda'sear,whilePaineskipsalongbesideRenoir. FromaBurkeianpointofview,Renoir'spopularfilmgivesustheRevolutionasthebourgeoisiefirstperceivedit ,foolishlyoptimistic,whileWajda's givesustheRevolutionasthebourgeoisiesawitwhentheywantedtostopit, pessimistictoolate.FromaPaineiteperspective,Renoirshowsusthereal revolution,beforeitwascorruptedbyWajda'spowerstrugglesandfear,and asitwillbeagain. Atanotherlevel,thefilmsprovideacasebookcontrastoftheformaldif- ferencesgeneratedbypopularandbourgeoisideology.Renoir'spopularpan- oramafeaturescommonmenasheroes,principallysansculottesandpetitbourgeois,withonepoorparishpriestandonevagrantbrieflybutconspicu- ouslyfeatured.Preferringgroupsofvaryingsizesanddynamics,thecamera rarelylingersonanindividualorevenadyad.Inacharacteristicshapingof theepisodes,thecamerabeginsinmediumfocusonasingleindividual,vis- iblefromthewaistup,andthenmovestoincorporatethefigureinagroupor toreplacehimwithagroup.ThesingletakeassociatedwithRenoir's"hu- manism,"connectingthemembersofagroup,emphasizestheirunity.(A strikingmomentofconspicuouscutting,ofobtrusivefragmentationorintru- siveindividuation,occursduringtheclean,mostlyoffscreenmassacreofthe SwissGuardon10August,asthefacesstandingguardchange.)Womenof allclassesandagesareexceptionally,andappropriately,prominent.The 296 / JANES queendeterminestheshapeofafatalpolicyatthecounseltableinParis, whileaJacobinfishwifeurgesapolicyfataltothequeenatthetribunein Marseille.TheprettyParisianfromtheFaubourgSt.Antoinewhowins Bomier'sheart,assistedherfatheratthefalloftheBastilleandmarches withthecrowdconvergingontheTuilerieson10August.Thetradition- boundmotherofBomierenableshersontoleaveher,togotodieinParisor, ifthefilmhadacheerierdenouement,tosettlethere.Greatmensuchas RobespierreandMaratareoffstage,representedbydocumentsormentioned asallies;andthefilm'simportantgreatmanisRobespierre,advisingoff- stagethesectionsandtheMarseillais'representatives. Wajda'sbourgeoisaccountinvertsalltheseLukasciancategories:thefilm focusesontwogreatmen,DantonandRobespierre.Eachhashisalliesand collaborators,othermenwithnameswhofigureinthehistorybooks,all clearlysubordinatedtothetwogreatleaders,circlingroundthem,depending onthem,referringallactiontothem.IftheTrojanwinebarrelisRenoir's definitivescene,Wajda'sisthatintheclosedredroomattheCaféFoy, whereDantonragesagainstRobespierreinamortaltestandfailstobreak through.Shutout,hisalliestrytoeavesdropthroughthewall.Wajda'scam- eralooksaroundtightlittlecirclesofmenorup,uptotheguillotine,upto Robespierre,uptoDanton'shead,uptotheboyreciting.Itselectsdetailsof isolatedbodyparts,feet,brokenheadsofstatues,brokenheadsofmen,the nakedbodiesofaboyandaman.Thepeopleformasilent,oppressed,or cheeringmass,anundifferentiatedbackdroptotheimportantactivitiesof thosewhopossessnamesweknow.Theyhuddlepatheticallyoverfiresinthe streets;theylineupstoicallyandsilentlyforbread;theycheerwildlyas Dantonreturnstothecity.SopowerlessarethepeopleinWajdathat,with oneexception,theyneverevenseemthreatening;noneofthesecouldbe septembriseurseither.Theyaremerelyspectators.Theexception,abandoned afterthebeginningofthefilm,isthePhrygian-cappedsansculotteswho search,withominousauthority,thecarriagesenteringthecity. Sincethefilmwasmadeinthe1980s,therearewomenpresent,tidily calibratedtocharacterizetheirmen,markthelimitedrangeoffemalepossi- bility,andsecurethefilmmaker'sfeministcredentials.Makingsignificant alterationsinhissource,StanislawaPrzybyszewska'sTheDantonCase, WajdaturnsPrzybyszewska'shusband-hatingLouiseDantonintoaprettily silent,decorativebourgeoise.Notawomanoffewwords,Danton'swifein thefilmisawomanofnowords—shehasnolines.Theonlysignthatre- mainsofDanton'swife'sdetestationofherhusbandisthewaythefilm's Louise,awakenedbyDantonjustbeforehisarrest,flinches,astrange,un- motivated,puzzlingmovement,neverexplained.Przybyszewska'sEleonore DuplayisRobespierre'sabandonedmistress,stilllustingafterhim,wor- DantonDoesNotSingLaMarseillaise/297 shippinghisbodyandmind.InWajda,shebecomesadomesticcompanion, housekeeper,friend,politicalconfidanteandsupporter.Inthisstrongwifely character,thereremainsonlyonesignofthesexualtensiondefining Przybyszewska'sEleonore—earlyinthefilmsheslapsthefaceofafemale servantoglingRobespierre.Exceptforthattraceofanother'sdesire,Wajda returnsRobespierretohistraditionalsexlessness. TheonlyotherspeakingwomanisLucileDesmoulins.InPrzybyszewska, Lucileisahystericalninny,thelinealdescendantofGeorgBüchner'sdot- ing,empty-headed,sweetlytwitteringsongster.(Infairness,itshouldbeadded thatPrzybyszewska'sCamilleDesmoulinsisstillmorehysterical,moreen- amoredofbothRobespierreandDantonandlessabletocontainorcontrol hisemotionsthanishisLucile.)WajdabringsLuciledeterminedlyintothe twentiethcentury.Choosingastrong-jawedGermanactress,garbedasfor ridingwhensheattendstheConvention'santechamberorherhusband'strial, heoutfitsherathomewithanursingbaby,aquillpen,andastackofpaper. ThisLucilewrites,collaboratesinherhusband'swork,andshowsherselfto befirmer,morelevel-headed,andmoreperceptiveaboutthecomingdanger thanherspouse.Shedoesnotgomad. Althoughitmightbearguedthatthegreaterconspicuousnessofwomenin Renoirreflectsanearlierperiodoftherevolution,beforetheJacobinrepres- sionofwomenafter1793(adevelopmentRenoiracknowledges),Wajda's enhancementofthetraditionalLucilesuggeststhathisstructuralsubordina- tionofwomenhasotherrootsthantheJacobinexclusionofwomenfromthe clubsortheguillotiningofpoliticallyprominentwomen,fromthequeento OlympedeGouges,bywayofMme.Roland.Itseemsinsteadtobeaconse- quenceofthebourgeois"great-man"theme.Wajda'srangeofmodelwomen alsodistinguisheswhicharehismostimportantmen—theoneswhocome withwomenattachedtothem.Onthisscale,DantonoutweighsRobespierre fourtoone,sinceDantonhasawife,chatsbrieflywithtwoprostitutes(but onlytoavoidapoliticalmeeting),andtellsCamilletolistentohiswife, Lucile.RobespierrehasonlyEleanorandthewoman-lessSaintJust. Focusingthedifferencebetweenthefilmsisthefigureoftheartist.Close tothecenterofeachfilmisamakerofimages,apainter,ratherthanaspin- nerofwords.Inboth,theartistisanambivalentfigure,embodyingattitudes, values,positionsthefilmmakeropposes,yetrepresentingart.Renoir'sisthe fat,loquaciousJacobinhack,whopaintsdawnsfromnatureandhatesaris- tocratsandpriests.HeproducesinspiringRomanimagesforpublicspacesin neighboringtowns,withalltheleadingcitizensintogas.Initsconflationof theOathoftheHoratiiandtheTennisCourtOath,thestylereferstoDavid andperhapssuggestsRenoir'srole,inputtingtogetheracostumedramato inspirethepresent.Astohisartisticproductions,theyappearonlybriefly,on 298/JANES awallinParis,overwhelmedbyevents,pamphlets,bustle,words.Hisisthe mostviolent,hostilerevolutionaryvoicethatrecursinthefilm;hisclosest competitoristhebeautifulfishwife,appearingonlyonce,whodoomsthe queenandraisesthebrigade.AlthoughtheprojectofRenoir'sfilmisto musterallFranceagainstsuchdivisivehostility,hostilityisthemotormov- ingtheaction. Wajda'sartistisDavidhimself,asilentJacobingenius,domiciledinthe Louvre,whereheworksonfamiliarimages,theMaratAssassiné,theTennis CourtOath.InconspicuouslypresentamongtheothermembersoftheSecu- rityCommitteeinthefirsthalfofthefilm,Davidandhispaintingsemerge prominentlyasthestillmomentintheswirloftrial,prisons,plots,execu- tionsinthesecondhalf.Brilliantlywhiteandopen-vistaed,theatelierparal- lelstheclaustrophobicredroomintheCaféFoy.AllWajda'sinvention,the ateliersceneisstructurallythegreatsetpieceofthesecondhalfofthefilm, aspaceremovedfromthecrisis,wherethecrisisneverthelessentersand impinges.David'slastappearanceisalsoasanartist,sketchingDantonon thewaytotheguillotine.Inadevastatingtransposition,artandrealityinter- sect,forthesketchmadebythefilm'sDaviddoesnotresemblethefilm's Danton(GerardDepardieu).ItresemblesasketchoftherealDantonmade bytherealDavid. Renoirgivesusthepeople'sartasadiluted,diffusedversionofhighart, themovies,perhaps.Sohislovingcouplescuddleandsnuggleinthedarkof amodestplayhouse,justastheymightintheshadowsofamodestcinema, watchingaRenoirfilm.Wajda'sscenetakesusbehindthescenes,asDavid meditatesRobespierre'scostumefortheFeastoftheSupremeBeingand Robespierrerejectshischoices.WajdadealsinArt,capitalized,elite,recog- nizable.Hisartistisknown,individuated,andresponsible,yetcorruptible whenhetouchespolitics. Surroundedbyhisassistantsandstudents,butonhisown(thefilmdirector asauteur),Wajda'sDavidmakesartoutofhistory,yetheobeysRobespierre's orderstochangebothartandhistorytoaccommodatepoliticalchange.When RobespierreordersDavidtopaintoutFabre'sfaceintheTennisCourtOath becauseitbelongstoamanwhonowqualifies,inRobespierre'sview,asa traitor,Wajda'sDavidseemsnoncommittal.Itisnotimmediatelyobvious whattheconsequenceofRobespierre'sorderis.Infact,Davidcomplieswith theorder.FirstcontradictingRobespierre'sassertionthatFabrewasnotthere, hesimplymutters,"Oui,Maxime."David'sassistantexpandsonthecon- tradiction,asiftoasserttheintegrityofhistoryandart.WhenRobespierre reiterateshisinsistenceonremovingFabreandleaves,Davidnods.His assistantthenmovesabench—presumablytogetuptopaintouttheoffending face.Wajdaseemstobepointingtocommunistair-brushingofphotos;he DantonDoesNotSingLaMarseillaise/299 mayalsoberememberingDavid'sownofferundertheDirectorytoputthe importantfacesofthemenoftheDirectoryintotheTennisCourtOathin placeofthenowinsignificantfacesthathadactuallybeenthere.Wajda's judgmentispresentinhisvisuals—whenDavidisfirstseenatwork,his headisinavise,caughtinthegeometryoftheguillotine.AsRenoirpoints hisartistinthedirectionofclassantagonism,andWajdahistowardscorruption bysharedideals,eachfilmmakergesturestowardshismotiveinpursuingso...