MovieChat Forums > Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1976) Discussion > Where do they go at night?

Where do they go at night?

posted 16 years ago by Local Hero
12 replies | jump to latest

I just amused myself by pondering whether my subject question would constitute a spoiler when it comes to this film.

Anyway, at the end of the first day, after dinner, the mother and son leave the flat and head out onto the streets of Brussels (where it is very dark and I could barely see what was going on). Soon, they return to the apartment and go to sleep. At the end of the second day, when dinner is so "tragically" delayed by the overcooking of the potatoes, the son Sylvain asks whether they "are still going" even after the delay. The mother assents and they leave once again, with much of the same shots as seen for the previous night.

So, is this left mysterious, as just another generic, quotidian, unnamed errand to occupy the entire length of their waking day, or did I miss an explanation or indication of their specific destination each night?

[–] elif84-1 16 years ago

Yup yup, similar confusion here. I figure though that we aren't really supposed to know, and that furthermore, like everything else in Jeanne Dielman's daily existence, it doesn't matter.

[–] Local Hero 16 years ago

So just another errand that completes the daily ritual, then. Thanks for the response.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Yxklyx 15 years ago

Yep, I thought it was a nightly walk. They also take out the garbage.

[–] Skylab23 15 years ago

I couldn't figure that out either and was wondering if it had any relevance to the story, only that my interpretation was that they go to some place which the director doesn't want to show us. I guess that a night walk makes more sense..

*beep* funny...people...they all got their own peculiarities, their own way of living.

[–] Local Hero 15 years ago

Yes, I can accept the idea of it just being a nightly walk, which is something many Europeans do regularly after the evening meal. As such, it forms part of her overall life of bourgeois ritual.

[–] claudenorth 15 years ago

I interpreted it specifically as a walk around the block. I rather like the idea that each night they go for a walk that does not require them to stray too far from home or even cross a street. And once around the block strikes me as a very tidy sort of walk, with no risk of variety.

[–] kino66 9 years ago

And once around the block strikes me as a very tidy sort of walk, with no risk of variety.

Yes, tidy & no risk or variety. That's JD's style.

[–] crystalrope 14 years ago

My first thought was, church. But as there seemed to be no religious objects in the apartment...what a mystery!

[–] anniemarty 13 years ago

I thought they go to the cemetery to see the dead husband's grave, seems pretty logic to me, that would explain why the son is reluctant to go; I'm french and I don't take an evening walk every day and I'm pretty sure people from Belgium neither...
Anyway it's a wonderful and mysterious movie

[–] Local Hero 13 years ago

Thanks to the last three posters for their replies.

Yes, church or the dead husband's grave seem like logical possibilities, but every night?

[–] ghtx 9 years ago

I was wondering this to. Seems like nobody knows (which was probably the filmmaker's intention).