The Middle of the World (1974)
"Le milieu du monde" (original title)

Paul is married, a successful engineer, and a conservative candidate in an upcoming local election. He falls in love with Adriana, a café waitress from Italy. Paul's party is very critical ... See full summary »

Director:

Alain Tanner

Writers:

John Berger, Alain Tanner

Stars:

Olimpia Carlisi, Philippe Léotard, Juliet Berto

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Olimpia Carlisi	...	Adriana
Philippe Léotard	...	Paul
Juliet Berto	...	Juliette
Denise Péron	...	Schmidt
Jacques Denis	...	Marcel
Roger Jendly	...	Roger
Gilbert Bahon	...	Albert
Pierre Walker	...	Le président ADP
Paul Paquier	...	Gavault
Adrien Nicati	...	Le père de Paul
Pierre Ruegg
Alain Chevallier
Robert Guillon
Charles Gleyvod
Albert Itten

Storyline

Paul is married, a successful engineer, and a conservative candidate in an upcoming local election. He falls in love with Adriana, a café waitress from Italy. Paul's party is very critical of foreign labour and wants to keep Switzerland to the Swiss. Where Paul falls deeper and deeper into the relationship and is ready to leave his wife, Adriana feels the social pressure growing and has to make her own decision.

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Plot Keywords:

switzerland | election | break up | class differences | political campaign | 

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Genres:

Romance | Drama

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Details

Country:

France Switzerland

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 September 1974 (France)

Also Known As:

112 kærlige dage

Company Credits

Production Co:

Action Films, Citel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

User Reviews

Portrait of a self-absorbed man

The key to understanding this film is in its title as the character Paul is unable to imagine a world that he is not the center of. He's a successful engineer and family man being groomed for political office. Clearly, he is used to having whatever he wants. This attitude transfers to his adulterous relationship with Adriana, a quietly inexpressive recent immigrant. In the beginning, she seems impressed with his easy confidence but as time goes on it becomes increasingly clear that she isn't interested in the role he wants her to play. Paul is so self- absorbed that he seems unable to conceive of this difference and he disregards her unhappiness with his lack of effort in knowing her as an individual as opposed to using her to fill his own needs.

The Middle of the World is a film that covers familiar territory; such unbalanced relationships often tend to appear in films. Usually, this would appear as a subplot in a film, though, rather than being the sole narrative. Tanner's focus on the relationship itself allows him to make his point especially clear. Also helpful is his style here, as he tends to place his two characters in unpopulated landscapes and deserted streets as a visual metaphor for the characters' conflicting mental states. Paul has so thoroughly internalized a self-centered worldview that the presence of other people is unimportant while Adriana feels isolated in a foreign land.

Strangely enough, The Middle of the World seems more visually accomplished than either of the two later Tanner films I've seen. Unlike Jonas Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 or A Flame in My Heart, The Middle of the World has a consistently developed aesthetic that greatly increases the effectiveness of its narrative. It also paints a harsh portrait of bourgeois self-absorption.