Review of Godard's Vivre sa vie

This was the second time I had seen Vivre sa vie. The first time it left an impression on me. The ending is so tragic, so well done. It seems that Anna Karina is turning the corner leaving a life of prostitution. Then, quickly, she is being sold by her pimp to another pimp.

I could see some similarities to the films of Mizoguchi. Mizoguchi made several films about the life of prostititutes and other women who had suffered. His life of Oharu was a very well done film. It has been written that Vivre sa vie is Godard's best film from a technical standpoint. His camera work is much more sophisticated in Viver sa vie than in Breathless. There is still some Cinema verite influence in Vivre sa vie, but some shots are definitely more sophisticated. The famous shot of Anna Karina at the beginning of the film where the camera doesn't show her face. It only shows the back of her head is very unique. I kept wanting to see her face.

The scenes where she is taking clients are also similar to the famous back of head shot. Those scenes are set in small rooms and often don't show Karina's whole body or give a wide perspective of the action going on in the film. The shot only shows Karina's face or an askance shot of her sitting on the edge of a bed, or looking in the mirror. I like these shots very much. They were similar to dutch angle shots. Very unique.

The philosophical discourses in the film were, perhaps, the beginning for Godard's technique of self reflection in his films. The scene where he does a voice over while Karina looks at the camera is very different from Breathless or A Woman is a woman. There was some level of self reflection in A Woman is a Woman, but not as direct or philosophical as Vivre sa vie. I think that is what makes Vivre sa vie Godard's deepest film that I have seen so far. Richard Brody said that Godard was influenced by Sartre and existential philosophy more in Vivre sa vie, then in his previous films.

Aside from the deep philosophical statements, there is much said about prostitution in Paris. The discussion of the prostitution business gives the film an avant garde, taboo feel to it. At least it did for me. I can't recall so many films that discussed prostitution with such candor.

This film is deeper than A Woman is a Woman and it is more technically sound then Breathless. Yet it lacks the intensity of Breathless. I think Anna Karina is a good actrees, but Jean Seberg is hard to replace. C'est bon film!