At age 36, Gracie had an affair with Joe, then 13. After a prison sentence, the first married the second, with whom she had three children. About twenty years later, Elizabeth, a well-known actress, arrives in Gracie’s life, whom she is preparing to play in a film. However, Elizabeth’s insidious presence, to say the least, has the corollary of revealing the gray areas of a couple within which unsaid and denial reign. In the fascinating and disturbing May December, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, both tipped for Oscar nominations, are remarkable. Directed by Todd Haynes, who spoke to Dutyis also.
The same way as Velvet Goldmine (Velvet Rock) was very freely inspired by David Bowie and Iggy Pop, May December is “very freely inspired” by the Mary Kay Letourneau affair. The screenplay, admirable in terms of psychological density and ambiguity, is by Samy Burch, previously known primarily as director of casting.
“This scenario, when it was submitted to me, immediately stood out. It’s a story that makes you feel uncomfortable, and that constantly forces you to review your attitude towards the subject and the characters, but also towards your understanding of this or that situation,” explains the director of Far From Heaven (Far from paradise) and of Carolother films where a perfect marital facade cracks.
“This story also forces you to question who to trust and who to distrust. So, it forces you to question your moral positioning. Neither woman is redeemed at the end, and I found that to be very daring on the part of the screenwriter. »
In fact, one of the main themes of the film is predation, in this case combined with the feminine plural. In that Gracie still refuses to admit the problematic nature that her relationship with Joe once had, while Elizabeth knowingly manipulates Gracie, Joe and their children in order to get what she needs from them without worrying about the consequences for them .
“I like how Elizabeth comes into the film. When she starts questioning Gracie, you think: “Hey, she’ll be the objective narrator to trust. It will shed light for us on this sordid story that happened in the past.” Well, not at all! Nothing could be further from reality. The similarities between Elizabeth and Gracie are obvious: they are both intensely narcissistic personalities. Their needs must be met at all costs, regardless of the damage caused to others. Are they aware of it, or not? Does one spot this in the other and not in herself? Who sees what? Who thinks what? Samy trusts the intelligence of the public…”
Mirror effect
Regarding the narcissism mentioned by the filmmaker, one of the recurring motifs of the film is precisely the mirror, where Gracie and Elizabeth put themselves, together or separately. Interestingly, in these moments when a powerful light illuminates them, their deep motivations never appear so opaque.
” Exactly ! This is the paradox! says Todd Haynes, becoming animated. The moment where this paradox fades, where someone stands in front of the mirror and really sees themselves, is in the denouement, when Joe comes and stares at the camera, as Elizabeth and Gracie have been doing all along. film, but without really seeing each other. With Joe, it’s the only time a character’s gaze passes through the mirror to the audience. »
Joe, who is a little eclipsed at the beginning, on purpose, but who gradually reveals himself to be the emotional anchor of the film… His awareness of the events of his adolescence and the cognitive diversion in which he has stagnated since then is painful. Of the three protagonists, Joe is the one who is filmed the most against the light and in the dark.
As for all this light that bathes Elizabeth and Gracie, it is not exclusive to the passages in front of the mirror. Actually, May December is perhaps the sunniest of all Todd Haynes’ films. This, in direct contrast to the very dark nature of the subject. Form and content do not oppose each other as much as they enhance each other.
“Savannah, Georgia, where we filmed, has this milky white light that’s quite unique. It’s a bright light, but at the same time, a little sticky, with all this humidity, the proximity of the swamps… Savannah also has a history, a troubled heritage, which still haunts the place. All this made it the ideal place to camp Gracie’s universe. »
A universe, in this case, where everything is skillfully directed by the main interested party, Joe and their children included. Behind the smiles, the little girl’s voice, the chain-baked cakes and the pastel dresses lies something monstrous.
Music of choice
If there are many indications of this monstrosity in the image, there are also signs in the music, which catches the eye from the opening credits and which, often, seems to announce an imminent tragedy. Or are the hammered piano notes just a reminder of a past tragedy?
“I wanted disturbing music, so Marcelo Zarvos adapted the theme song composed by Michel Legrand for The Go-Between [Le messager] “, explains Todd Haynes.
For the record, this film by Joseph Losey, winner of the Palme d’Or in 1971 (then named the International Grand Prix of the Festival), relates the disastrous loves of a narcissistic aristocrat (so) and a tenant farmer.
“The power of this music when I saw the film again last year — I hadn’t seen it since I was a child — captivated me. It’s such unique music, both in Legrand’s catalog and in Losey’s filmography. I used it as a tool to give a dramatic counterbalance to certain elements, so that they didn’t seem too cutesy or poetic. »
Cute or poetic, May December is not. On the contrary, this is a poisonous and sharp work, one of Todd Haynes’ best.
The film May December released on Netflix on 1er December. Read our review published on November 17 during the theatrical release.