MovieChat Forums > Trois couleurs: Bleu (1993) Discussion > HELP! Something about the ending confuse...

HELP! Something about the ending confuses me...

posted 12 years ago by ibsogreat
6 replies | jump to latest

So, according to Wikipedia's page on Blue, this is what happens in the finale: "He [Olivier] says that she [Julie] must either accept his composition with all its roughness or she must allow people to know the truth about her composition. She agrees on the grounds that the truth about her husband's music would not be revealed as her own work."

BUT THAT'S NOT RIGHT!!! That's NOT what happens!

...Is it?

I distinctly remember Olivier telling Julie that she can either accept his version of the music, without her improvements, or else he will add them in IF she allows the truth about the music to be revealed. However, I also remember that she doesn't give him a straight "yes or no" answer, but instead gathers up all of her music sheets and heads over to his house.

I, for one, would say that, in the end, it's NOT clear that she's chosen to give sole responsibility of the music to Olivier. In fact, if anything, I think the opposite is implied: the fact that she's going over to his house, with all of her papers, would imply that she's going to continue to collaborate on the score with him.

Someone, please tell me: AM I RIGHT? If so, it would mean that (gasp!) Wikipedia got it wrong! And if that's the case, then their page on the movie is really misleading, and should be changed! As it is, it's confusing the heck out of me; I'd fix the page myself, but I want to be SURE!

[–] hilaryjrp 12 years ago

Thank you for making this post. This aspect of the ending confused me as well, as did the final shot of Julie in tears. The viewer has no idea whatsoever why she's crying. Yes, I know this sounds as if I'm trolling, but given the expository scenes leading up to her in tears: is she grieving the deaths, the infidelity--or her own suicidal professional and personal humility?

It's rather misogynist to write off abnegation of the degree to which she engages in it as the result of her being "good and generous."

[–] raymilesprime 12 years ago

Earlier in the film there was a scene where she found the maid cryingn and asked her why, to which she replied "because you aren't."

Julie spends the whole film in denial of her emotions, refusing to accept love from Olivier and grieve her family. The shot of her crying at the very end is her finally allowing herself to come to terms with it and begin the process of reconnecting with the world around her.

I watched all the interviews with Kuliette Binoche on the Artificial Eye DVD last night. In it she spoke about this scene and said she discussed with Kieslowski about how to play it. She wanted to smile faintly to show a hint of optimism in her sadness. If you watch close you can see her smile ever so slightly as it fades to black.

I got the impression that she continued to collaborate with Olivier until the piece was finished, as she is now in the stage of re-establishing herself, so it makes sense she'd choose to do this rather than end the film on another rejection.

-incidentally, Juliette also spoke about the scene where she gives the house to her husband's mistress. From the interviews, and her stoney expression as the mistress thanks her and tries to hold her hand (which is also shown on the DVD menu), it's clear that Juliette is giving her the house not because she wants to out of generosity, but because she believes it is the right thing to do to get closure. She still hates the woman, but no more house, no more wondering how the mistress is living and no guilt. She can try to stop thinking about it all and move on.

[–] evan_chester 12 years ago

I was also confused, and assumed I must have missed something.

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=8578799

[–] craig-278 12 years ago

A very late reply to this.

She says "you're right". If he uses her version then he can't take the credit. She would have to own it. It is not explicitly stated that the whole composition is hers, but it is implied. She is asked at the beginning of the film, if she rights her husbands work and doesn't answer. I think we can assume that her completion of the work would be so in keeping with the original unfinished piece that people would ask questions, at best, about her involvement in the part that her husband wrote. This would undermine his reputation and draw attention to herself, neither of which she wanted. I think the fact that she destroyed the music in the first place suggests that it was something they were working on together.

"I'm entitled. Simple. End of.."

[–] Baalerhoed 11 years ago

I, for one, would say that, in the end, it's NOT clear that she's chosen to give sole responsibility of the music to Olivier. In fact, if anything, I think the opposite is implied: the fact that she's going over to his house, with all of her papers, would imply that she's going to continue to collaborate on the score with him.

Just listen to the music until the very end of the movie during the end credits. It's bombastic and heavy,it's the same as can be heard when the two are first working together, it's Olivier's way. So publicly he gets the credit. And she helped him, she does the exact same thing again as with her husband before. He gets the credit, she gets the love. It is implied by the presence of the mistress that her husband might have not left Julie in part because he was depending on her. Same with Olivier, he says he loves her and depserately stalks her yet at the same time needs her to finish the piece.

[–] Bklyn4ever 11 years ago

The issue of authorship of the music is unresolved except for the fact that the deceased husband will no longer receive credit. Either Olivier, Julie, or both will be the authors. Hence, CHANGE is emphasized. She is no longer under the dead man's thumb, emotionally or artistically. She remains true to herself in breaking free by being much more generous than she needs to be with his mistress and unborn son (his only real legacy). The new relationship with Olivier shows every sign of being more authentic than her past marriage, because it is based on love from both sides.