[FilmReview]Despair(1978)7.8/10

WhenFassbindermeetsNabokov,DESPAIRistheformer’smostexpensivefilmheadlininganinternationalstarDirkBogardeasanimprobableEnglish-speakingSovietRussianchocolatefactoryentrepreneurinhabitinganinterwarBerlin,HermannHermann,thenameechoesanothersalientNabokovpersonage,LOLITA’sHumbertHumbert,towhomheisnolessdelusionalinhismonomaniaandself-deception.Insidiouslyimpingedbythesurginganti-Semitisminthecapital(bothmanifestedinhisownfactoryandonthestreets),Hermann’swell-offlifestarttocrackwhenheostensiblyhasanout-of-bodyexperiencewatchinghimselfhavingintercoursewithhiscurvaceousbutditzywifeLydia(astereotypeemblazonedbyacampFerréolstimulatingcothurnusaffectation),whoisindulgedinchocolateandthecozycompanyofherpaintercousinArdalion(agingerSpengler,strangelybutinnocentlylumpingalongwithhisFalstaffianandswishymannerism).Incentivizedbyamovie(whatisitsname,anyone?)aboutidenticaltwins,HermannposesasamovieeditorandplumpsforahoboFelixWeber(Löwitsch)ashisdoublebyprofessingthattheyarelikepeasinapodinappearance,withouttoomuchpersuasion,ahard-upFelixplaysalonginhopeforemployment,butHermann’smadcapescapistplanistostartlifeanewwithacompletelydifferentidentity,whichmeanstheoldHermannHermannmustbecertifieddead.Hermann’sdownwardspiralintomadnessisfiercelyaccentuatedinFassbinder’spartition-ladeninteriorspaceswithglassesoftenasametaphorofcommunicationobstaclebetweenHermannandpeoplesurroundshim,hissolipsisticexistencepusheshimdeepintotheidéefixewhennooneelseseemstounderstandhiscumulativetrepidationoffuturity,andinhispenultimatecinemarole,DirkBogardefitsHermann’spsychelikeaglove,hedriftslikeadisquietedwraiththatgrowsirretrievablydisengagedwithreality,albeitFassbinderandscreenwriterTomStoppardpurveyshimwithunduedesireandloquaciousnesstoexpoundLydiaofhisquixoticplan,sheiscluelessthroughandthrough.Withtheprivilegeofhiswealth,HermannmanagestocoaxagrudgingFelixonaboard,andeverythinggoeslikeheplans,buthisdenouementispreordainedbecauseoftheglaringcatch.Bogarde,attheageof57,stilloozesmatineehandsomenessandentrancinglyholdsswayinactualizingHermann’sfollystepbystepwithcalculatedabandon,andimpartsadistinctsuavesophisticationthatdoesn’tnecessarilypervadeinFassbinder’soeuvre,andinhindsight,predicatingonHermann’s“I’mcomingout”exclamation,itistemptingtoguesstimatetheconceptionofthatself-reflectiveline,doesFassbinderputthewordsintoBogarde’smouthorthereisatacitacknowledgementonthelatter’sbehalf?Eitherway,DESPAIRisaweirdchildoutoftheunorthodoxwedlockbetweenFassbinderandNabokov,fascinatingyes,butwithsometentativenessandelusivenessunderfoot.referentialentries:Fassbinder’sTHEBITTERTEARSOFPETRAVONKANT(1972,7.1/10),CHINESEROULETTE(1976,6.9/10);BasilDearden’sVICTIM(1961,8.3/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。