Jules et Jim

Francois Truffaut’s multi-award winning ‘French New Wave’ romantic drama JULES ET JIM (1962) strikes a timeless note thanks to (for its time) provocative and decidedly modern concept of a love triangle although the story begins before the outbreak of the First World War. Oskar Werner and Henri Serre are two young men whose attraction for a free-spirited and fickle woman (played by Jeanne Moreau) ultimately leads to their doom.

Beginning in France around 1912 we are introduced to Jules (Oskar Werner) a somewhat introverted writer originally from Austria who has made Paris his second home. In contrast, extroverted Frenchman Jim (Henri Serre) is a bit of a Jack the lad who enjoys the finer things in life and never wastes an opportunity to flirt with the ladies although one lady, the long-suffering Mademoiselle Gilberte (Vanna Urbino) gradually attains the position of fiancée. Despite these differences both Jules and Jim form a strong bond as the months go by, not least over their shared enthusiasm for literature and writing, the arts and a bohemian lifestyle in general. Frequenting the bars and cafés of Paris, Jim one day has the idea of inviting several women to a private and intimate garden party – one of women is Catherine (Jeanne Moreau) who, as it soon turns out, is the epitome of what one might call a sexually upfront and free-spirited woman, what’s more, her seductive smile reminds the two friends of a sculpture they had admired some weeks previously. Feeling attracted to one another the three bohemians quickly become inseparable and practically do everything together. Whilst they spend a great deal of time having fun, a dark undercurrent emerges in Catherine’s personality – namely that her free-spirited nature occasionally borders on unhinged behaviour. In the first instance, Catherine (dressed in Edwardian garb) jumps into the Seine during a nightly stroll and is fished out by the perplexed men. With the men visibly angered and worried that she might have drowned, she explains that she simply “felt like jumping into the river”. If only Jules and Jim had have an inkling of the foreboding this irrational act will have…

During another occasion when the three decide on spending some weeks in the countryside, Jim helps Catherine pack her suitcase. She insists on taking a bottle of sulphuric acid with her for the eyes of those who ‘annoy her’. When Jim explains that the bottle will break inside the suitcase and burn holes in her clothes she only shrugs her shoulders and declares that it’s her favourite glass bottle, nonetheless she pours the dangerous liquid down the washbasin. Minutes later she burns some old love letters on the floor which causes her skirt to catch fire – only Jim’s quick-witted handling of the situation prevents Catherine from turning into a human fireball. Despite the clearly visible warning signs - what with her impulses being so unpredictable, the two friends still fall hopelessly in love with her; although initially Catherine favours Jules. After a few weeks of carefree frolicking in the countryside Catherine becomes bored (she invariably grows bored with everything and everyone oh so quickly) and yearns to return to Paris where all the action is. With the outbreak of the First World War looming, Catherine and Jules move to Austria to get married. A few days later war is declared and the two friends find themselves drafted in by their respective regiments. Although now officially enemies and fighting on opposing sides, Jules is worried that he might accidentally kill Jim during battle and vice versa – their friendship does not come to an end even during the long separation.

After the Great War has ended Jim, who has returned to his native Paris, receives a letter from Jules informing him that he and Catherine now live in a chalet in Germany’s Black Forest together with their little daughter Sabine (Sabine Haudepin) and a housekeeper. The couple invite Jim to spend some time with them, which he accepts. Upon arrival everything at first seems idyllic, the breathtakingly stunning countryside certainly is. However, during a private conversation Jules confides to his friend that Catherine seems to have lost interest in him and that in fact she left home for about six months in pursuit of new adventures and pleasures but then returned again because of her daughter. Now she appears to be having an affair with Albert (Boris Bassiak), her new on/off lover and music instructor. Jules complains that Catherine seems to punish him with her affairs for things he has done wrong but has no idea what they are. It doesn’t take long before Catherine gets bored with Albert too and begins flirting with Jim – in order not to lose his wife whom he still loves very much (god knows why), Jules even agrees to a divorce so his friend Jim can marry Catherine and that way Jules will be able to visit. But with someone like Catherine, nothing is ever straightforward – not only is she incapable of making up her mind over whom she actually loves more – Jules or Jim – but eventually she has to acknowledge that she is in fact not capable of true love and commitment… It is a state of mind which tortures her daily and ultimately leads to tragedy…

What is particularly interesting about this love triangle is the modern feel the arrangement has – it is an arrangement which one might have expected to find in films made in the 1960s or 70s but not necessarily in an Edwardian setting. Yes, such arrangements no doubt existed but weren’t played out in the open. The film is based on French avant-garde-writer Henri-Pierre Roché’s 1953 semi-biographical novel in which he describes his relationship with Franz Hessel, a young German writer and translator who married Helen Gund – the woman both men felt attracted to. Equally interesting is the film’s ‘New Wave’ cinematic style with its freeze-frame components and the highly philosophical and occasionally long-winded dialogue (which makes it a trifle hard to follow if one has to rely on English subtitles).
Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner and Henri Serre are simply terrific as the ‘infernal trio’ whose emotional shackles, which range from sardonic humour to loyalty vs. freedom, can only end in doom – a scenario emphasized through George Delerue’s soundtrack.

JULES ET JIM is now available in a new 2K restoration in Blu-ray format plus digital platforms iTunes and Amazon Prime. Special Features include audio commentary with J. Moreau and S. Toubiana (2000), Francois Truffaut panel discussion from 2022, Truffaut discusses his films (1972), J. Moreau in Conversation (1983), actor John Hurt on ‘Jules and Jim’ (2010), trailers, stills gallery plus first pressing booklet.