MovieChat Forums > Jeux interdits (1952) Discussion > Alternate opening and ending

Alternate opening and ending

posted 18 years ago by MovieMan0283part2
2 replies | jump to latest

I watched the alternate opening and ending on the Criterion DVD. The children appear, dressed in old-fashioned garb in an idyllic location, opening up a book to read the "story" which is the film. In the end, the girl is crying and the boy pretends to read a happy ending which isn't actually there. I thought this actually heightened the tragedy of the film. Ironically, the framing device, with its stereotypical images of childhood and nature, appears more removed from reality than the "imaginary" story the children are reading. This somehow throws the dark complexities of the film proper into relief, and made it even more harrowing to me. Like waking up from a dark dream, and telling yourself it was only a nightmare when part of you knows it touched on a deeper, more troubling truth...

Did anyone else see this and agree/disagree?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] aurelie_ledoyen 18 years ago

I think you said it right, at least i think i feel the same way. I grew up on this film and just tonight saw the alternates. First I thought it seemed like a "play it safe" style from the day by Clément..until the boy pretend-reads the ending. I thought it seemed creepy. It's almost like the story as we know it was real, and those 2 kids on the branch with the book are like a dream within a nighmarish reality.
Kind of like Mulholland Drive. Okkk, I better stop before I get nightmares.

..and every one of them words rang true and glowed like burnin' coal..