Wes Anderson: The French Dispatch

Director - Wes Anderson

Writers - Wes Anderson (screenplay), Roman Coppola (story), Hugo Guinness (story) and Jason Schwartzman (story)

Plot:

 

 

From the visionary mind of Wes Anderson, THE FRENCH DISPATCH brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in the fictional 20th-century French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Many of the world’s most beloved stars shine in this love story to journalists, including Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Timothée Chalamet, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand,Léa Seydoux, Stephen Park, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, Lyna Khoudri, Mathieu Amalric, Christoph Waltz, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Henry Winkler, Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray. Following the death of Arthur Howitzer, editor of The French Dispatch, Howitzer’s staff convenes to write his obituary, leading to the creation of four stories: One, inspired by writer Herbsaint Sazerac (Wilson), is an unsettling travelogue of the seediest sections of the city. J.K.L. Berensen (Swinton) offers “The Concrete Masterpiece” about Moses Rosenthaler (Del Toro), a criminally insane painter, and his prison guard and muse (Seydoux). “Revisions to a Manifesto” by Lucinda Krementz (McDormand, whose character is an homage to The New Yorker’s iconic writer Mavis Gallant), is a chronicle of love and death at the height of student revolt. And writer Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) pens a suspenseful tale of drugs, kidnapping and fine dining, cop style, with “The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner.” THE FRENCH DISPATCH is filled with the intriguing, visually rewarding, complex, detailed and funny elements audiences have come to expect from writer-director Wes Anderson.

-www.moviesanywhere.com

Cast                                      Character

Timothée Chalamet     ...        Zeffirelli 

Saorise Ronan            ...        Junkie/Showgirl #1

Elisabeth Moss           ...        Alumna

Léa Seydoux             ...       Simone

Edward Norton         ...       The chauffeur 

Tilda Swinton           ...       J.K.L. Berensen 

Rupert Friend           ...       Drill-Sergeant 

Willem Dafoe           ...      Albert 'the Abacus' 

Christopher Waltz    ...      Paul Duval

Adrien Brody            ...     Julian Cadazio

Benicio Del Toro       ...    Moses Rosenthaler

Owen Wilson            ...    Herbsaint Sazerac

Jeffrey Wright          ...    Roebuck Wright

Liev Schreiber         ...     Talk Show Host

Frances McDormand    ...   Lucinda Krementz

Anjelica Huston         ...   Narrator (voice)

Jason Schwartzman     ...  Hermes Jones

Henry Winkler            ...  Uncle Joe

Fisher Stevens            ...  Story Editor

Cécile de France           ...  Mrs. B.

Lyna Khoudri                 ...  Juliette

Steve Park                     ...  Nescaffier 

Bill Murray                   ...  Arthur Howitzer, Jr. 

Griffin Dunne               ...  Legal Advisor

Bob Balaban                ...  Uncle Nick

Thoughts:

The French Dispatch is an anthology by comedic legend of dry humor, Wes Anderson. What I liked most besides the humor, characters, cinematography, story and structure was how Bill Murray's character, Arthur Howitzer, Jr., never cut his writers' stories in the movie. He always believed in the content of their stories. 

According to Alex Buono, "Anderson has been noted for extensive use of flat space camera moves, symmetrical compositions, knolling, snap-zooms, slow-motion walking shots, a deliberately limited color palette, and hand-made art direction often utilizing miniatures." (Buono) This is good to know to give you sense of how unique and distinctive his films are. Alex Buono's site is great for learning about cinematography in general. 

According to Kodak.com, "Shot on Kodak 35mm color and B&W filmstocks, by regular cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman ASC, Anderson's next and highly-anticipated comedy, The French Dispatch, promises more of the same. ... All were shot on 35mm film except Moonrise Kingdom, which harnessed 16mm." If you are curious what type of camera they shot with, "We were shooting with a Cooke S4 25mm lens on an Arri ST at 200 ASA." (ascmag.com) 

SPOILERS

The film begins with Editor-in-Chief Arthur Howitzer, Jr's obituary. It takes place in Ennui-sur-Blasé, France which is a fictionalized Paris. "Ennui and blasé mean roughly the same thing: a world-weary boredom, apathy and sophistication." (IMDB.com) The French Dispatch is a newspaper by Howitzer which covers weekly world politics, the arts, high and low, fashion, fancy cuisine, fine drink, and diverse stories of human interests set in faraway quartiers. A quartier is a district of a French city.

One of the shots near the beginning of the outside of the building reminds you of the shot of the tenement building in Gangs of New York by Martin Scorsese. Speaking of Martin Scorsese, he chose Wes Anderson as the next Scorsese when asked by various people. 

The French Dispatch has a shot of one of the writers diagramming a sentence which are known to be infuriatingly difficult. I found it funny since I failed a Linguistics type class called Structure of English Language. I should have dropped that class.

The writers discuss what to publish and a teenager comes in saying, "A messenger from the foreman, one hour to press." Howitzer says, "You're fired." The teenager asks, "really?" Howitzer responds, "Don't cry in my office." The teenager looks up above the door which says "no crying." It's hilarious. 

Sazerac played by Owen Wilson liked to write about the dregs of society - the hobos, pimps, prostitutes and junkies. He writes about everyday people also but not high society. He is relatable. This is opposite of say Travis Bickle's character in Taxi Driver who hated these types of people. He says, "All the animals come out at night - whores, skunk pussies, buggers, queens, fairies, dopers, junkies, sick, venal. Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets. I go all over. I take people to the Bronx, Brooklyn, I take 'em to Harlem. I don't care. Don't make no difference to me. It does to some. Some won't even take spooks. Don't make no difference to me." (IMDB.com) The way Wes Anderson movies are filmed are so distinctive. What I mean is he has a style that is his own, a signature. This can be contrasted to the cookie cutter type comic book movies that all look the same except the exceptional Joker. They're not bad but if you've seen one, you've seen them all. That's all I am saying. Other good comic book movies that should be given a chance are The Dark Knight Trilogy, Watchmen, The Crow, and Logan. So I guess they're not all the same but a lot are.

Inside the prison the film is now in black and white and there is a cool whip pan shot while the camera dollies in which must have been a difficult shot especially for the focus puller. I remember I did a little bit of focus pulling in film school and it was not easy. The best way to appreciate something and realize how difficult it is, is to try it yourself like teaching. Teaching well is one of the hardest jobs that I think exist in the world. The naked model is none other than Moses's (Benicio Del Toro) prison guard, Simone, which is hilarious. Also his paintings are not like his subject matter at all. If you want to see a great prison film I suggest A Prophet (2009) by Jacques Audiard. Brutal stuff. 

Moses's Rosenthal's murals are being studied at a symposium at the Clampette Collection. Tilda Swinton's upbeat and eccentric character J.K.L. Berensen talks about how the murals came to be. 

Julian Cadazio, played by Adrian Brody, notices Moses's art and bribes the guard with chocolates to take him to Moses. Cadazio is in prison for tax evasion. The shot of them going to Moses's "cell" is so symmetric with leading lines it's classic Wes Anderson. Neat and perfect. Cadazio wants to buy "Simone, Naked. Cell Block J. Hobby Room." painting. When Moses reveals that the guard is Simone she is framed in a shot within a shot. Such techniques can also be seen in Citizen Kane although framed a bit differently. Cadazio offers Moses Avery generous 250,000 Francs for the painting along with various things he has on him.

Moses signs up for a pottery and basket weaving class to avoid committing suicide. This is in flashback. Cadazio thinks he can make a lot of money off of Moses. In court when the judges ask if he (Moses) has any remorse for beheading the men that he killed he says, "They had it coming." Cadazio at the hearing says we know he is guilty of first degree homicide but he is an artistic genius. He says, "Surely, there ought to be a double standard for this sort of predicament."

Moses becomes a hit thanks to his Simone painting outside of prison, but has not produced anything new. 
Moses presents new work for Cadazio which Cadazio loves but is pissed when he realizes they are frescos painted into the walls. They can't be moved out of the prison. Cadazio insults Moses and his work and a funny wheelchair chase begins. The way it's shot is so funny because the camera is above the wheelchair giving a third person view. 

A fight breaks loose because the inmates want to be bribed as well which contrasts nicely with the snooty high society of art critics there including Cadazio. It's really funny if you notice these things. Rich art snobs being brought down to the level of psychopath criminals is always nice to watch. 

"Moses Rosenthaler for acts of extreme valor, which saved the lives of nine guards, 22 distinguished visitors, and the Ministers of Culture and Urbanity, received his freedom with probation for life. And was decorated in the Order of the Caged Lion." (The French Dispatch)

Story 2

Revisions to a Manifesto by Lucinda Krementz

The second story has to do with the right of "free access to the girls" dormitory for all male students. The student leader is Zeffirelli B. The writer, Krementz, for the press meets his parents and, in the bathroom, sees Zeffirelli naked. He gives her his manifesto to read and she begins to proofread it. They begin sleeping together. At the Cafe Le Sans Blague Cafe which means Cafe No Kidding Cafe Zeffirelli gets a note from his chess partner about Mitch-Mitch Simca. He is sent to the mustard region to fight in France. 

Juliette argues with Zeffirelli and tells him about Mitch-Mitch, "Where were his principles when he agreed to fight on behalf of an imperialist army in an unjust war of totalitarian aggression?" Zeffirelli tells her he doesn't want to be in the military which his friend adds, "It's required."

When Mitch-Mitch comes in the Cafe he said he can no longer salute this patch (his military patch). He burns the patch to which everyone claps. It's a good parody youthful protest against war, government and all that shit. The next morning Mitch-Mitch was arrested for desertion and desecration. 

It's funny that Juliette speaks to Zeffirelli in French and he responds only in English even though actor Chalamet speaks French. At the chessboard revolution, the mayor and Zeffirelli play chess through intermediaries while deliberations are made. 

Juliette jealous that Krementz is sleeping with Zeffirelli gets in an argument with her that is one-sided. The mayor impatient no response from Zeffirelli from the chess match orders rubber bullets and tear gas. During this assault Krementz tells Juliette and Zeffirelli to make love. Zeffirelli reads the manifesto in a pirate radio station to which everyone including the police listen to. The radio tower goes dead. He tries to fix it and is shocked, drowns and dies. He is immortalized through his image on t-shirts and other things for youth who want to be like him, passionate and with conviction. 

Story 3

Tastes & Smells 

Section

The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner by Roebuck Wright

Liev Schreiber's character of the Talk Show Host interviews Roebuck Wright and says he has photographic memory to which Wright corrects him. He has a typographic memory. He tests Wright's memory and so the story begins. Wright is invited to the Commissariat to a dinner with the Commissaire. The place he enters looks like a police headquarters. The symmetric cinematography is top notch here as he walks the halls. 

Jeffrey Wright has such a smooth buttery voice it's like audible chocolate. Really pleasing to the ear. You learn a lot of new French words with a movie like this like fourchettes de poche which is a like a Swiss army spoon and fork with a can opener. The film introduces Nescaffier, played by Steve Park, who achieved lofty status as police cook. 

Wright finally meets The Commissaire, played by Mathieu Amalric, who introduces the dinner guests and Gigi, his son, who is trying to work on unsolved cases. He learned what he knows through the station house and squad car. According to IGN.com, "Anderson and Andrew Yeoman forgo their wide angle and deep focus their rare use of a long lens not only blurs the vividly detailed backgrounds but forces us to focus first and foremost on Wright's fears and the quiet ways his humanity is threatened." (IGN.com) The Commissaire gets a phone call from Edward Norton's character, the chauffeur, telling him they have kidnapped his son. Release or execute the Abacus and the boy will be released back to him. "Failure to do so by sun-up will result in your son's violent death." (The French Dispatch)

Wright, in flashback, was arrested for sexual deviancy. Howitzer conducts a job interview for Wright which is filmed in a wide-angle lens to show the softness of the situation and turn of events for Wright. The background is out of focus bringing the focus to Howitzer. 

Howitzer gives Wright a book to review in 300 words which he will pay Wright minus bail. He tells Wright to make sure no matter what he does try to make it sound like you wrote it that way on purpose. He says this many times to his writers. 

The police most likely use torture to reveal the kidnappers lair. In a two shot Gigi gets caught tapping Morse code into the pipe with a coin by a showgirl. Meanwhile the Commissaire famished has Nescaffier cook a great meal so he is motivated to execute a plan. Wright talks about foods much because unlike romantic partners, food, fire and a nice table were always available to him in Ennui, France. 

Gigi taps in Morse code, "Send the cook." The famous Nescaffier comes to cook a poisoned meal for them. He eats a sample but his superior stomach can handle the poison for a while without him dying. They all die except Gigi and the chauffeur who didn't eat the meal. The chauffeur gets away with Gigi kidnapped in an animated scene reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill where there is an animated scene in the film. A car chase ensues but Gigi is rescued. 

Later Howitzer is found dead of a heart attack and all the writers begin his obituary. 

Final Thoughts:

The film is great, shot with stunning cinematography, and clever moveable sets and excellent acting. The story is clever in that the humor is both subtle and overt for you to catch. Personally I don't really like anthology films, I just like a single narrative film but it's nice to be surprised and this is a nice surprise. The colors are vibrant when there and the contrast to black and white give nice variety to the film. This is another great Wes Anderson film and I hope he has even more for us to enjoy. The soundtrack should also be mentioned how pleasing it is. Really a joy. In the end I suggest you watch this film, you will enjoy it. 

Works Cited:

Buono, Alex. “Alex Buono: How We Did It: SNL – ‘The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders.’” Alex Buono | HOW WE DID IT: SNL – "The Midnight Coterie of Sinister Intruders", 4 Nov. 2013, http://www.alex-buono.com/how-we-did-it-snl-the-midnight-coterie-of-sinister-intruders/. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/quotes?ref_=tt_ql_sm

https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/the-french-dispatch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Anderson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_French_Dispatch

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8847712/trivia/?ref_=tt_trv_trv

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8847712/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymq5Z9_3aZQ. (IGN Review)