Review: Frantz
Lies can often be more of a balm than the truth. When so much loss has been had, self-serving fictions can help one to rebuild. In Frantz, director François Ozon's sumptuous post-war romantic drama, fabrication leads to forgiveness, renewal, love, and a coming into one's own.
On the surface, Frantz is a slight departure for Ozon. Working mostly in German and shooting in 35mm black and white, the film is a loose remake of Ernst Lubitsch's 1932 Broken Lullaby, itself based on a play by French playwright Maurice Rostand. The year is 1919, setting is a small German town named Quedlingburg, and WWI is still a fresh memory for the town's occupants, many of whom have lost loved ones on the battlefield. A young woman, Anna (Paula Beer), is one of the bereaved, still mourning the loss of her fiancé Frantz (Anton von Lucke). She lives with Frantz's parents, Dr. Hans Hoffmeister (Ernst Stötzner) and Magda (Marie Gruber), whom she helped console, and who look upon her as a daughter. They encourage her to move on with her life, even advising her to accept a marriage proposal from Kreutz (Johann von Bülow), who hopes to make her forget about Frantz. "I don't want to forget Frantz," replies Anna.
Whilst visiting Frantz's grave one day, she comes across Adrien (Pierre Niney), an emotionally fragile sort who introduces himself as Frantz's friend from Paris. Intrigued, she brings him home to Frantz's parents. Hans is initially hostile - "Every French man is my son's murderer." - but he and Magda soon warm to Adrien, whose presence brings them comfort and joy. The other townsfolk, including the nationalistic Kreutz, don't quite share their sentiment and even scold Hans for welcoming the enemy into his home. In a remarkable moment, Hans dresses down his friends - both sides have fathers who convinced their sons to go to war, who gave them the weapons, who celebrated when they heard of the deaths of the other side's men?
Those familiar with Lubitsch's film will be well aware of the reveal that happens midway through the film, but those new to the tale will sense that there is more to Adrien's relationship with Frantz than he lets on. The discovery of the truth results in a conflict for Anna - should she tell Frantz's parents and shatter their happiness - but it also leads to a path of self-discovery.
There are many fascinating aspects to unpack in the film, not least of which is Ozon's use of mirroring, whether it be in Adrien serving as a surrogate son for the Hoffmeisters and a romantic partner for Anna, or how Anna's journey in the second half of the film evokes what Adrien must have experienced in searching for Frantz's family, or how the French and German sides are more alike than they care to admit. Illusion is a prevalent theme and the flashbacks, often in colour to convey more contented times, prove themselves to be more rooted in fiction rather than fact.
Production details are impressive and more than nod to Edgar Reitz's Heimat series as well as German Romanticism. The actors are all superb with relative newcomer Beer transfixing as Anna, whose reserve slowly crumbling under the complexities of her emotions.
Frantz
Directed by: François Ozon
Written by: François Ozon, in collaboration with Philippe Piazzo; based on the film Broken Lullaby
Starring: Paula Beer, Pierre Niney, Ernst Stötzner, Marie Gruber, Johann von Bülow, Anton von Lucke, Cyrielle Clair
