“Madame de…” – Their Love was the Stuff of Legend

Watching the film “Madame de…”, a masterpiece of French cinema – while sitting in our darkened, candle-lit “salon”, one afternoon, having tea from the antique silver tea set and my favourite Ladurée “macarons” – I was struck by how intensely beautiful this film is, directed by Max Ophüls, and adapted from Louise Lévêque de Vilmorin’s novel.

Louise, the heroine, is the beautiful wife of a General attached to the “Ministère de la Guerre”, resided in a dazzling mansion full of splendour.

“Madame de…” lived in glittering luxury and opulence, with her distinguished husband, the General, who loved her possessively – unsuspecting that her heart belonged to another…

The dashing and equally “distingué” Italian Baron returned her love with great passion – he adored her.

One evening, while dancing at the great ball, both men looking so very elegant in their “smoking”, watched their “Love” descending down the stairway in her off-the-shoulder white satin ball gown, with diamenté clips adorning her uplifted, luxuriant hair – she looked magnificent.

While bowing down deeply to kiss his wife’s hand, the General noticed her wearing the famed diamond earrings, which he had given her as a token of his love – that she had previously sold to pay off her debts at the gambling tables – but which she had told her husband she lost…

Since her lover, the Baron, had previously retrieved them to give them back to her, as a token of his great love for her.  She was ecstatic… and was delighted to adorn herself with the diamond earrings she adored – to wear to the ball.

Furious and curious to know the truth, the General’s suspicions got worse, as the minutes ticked into hours…

Meanwhile, the Baron swept his lover, “Madame de”, up into his arms, dancing to the irresistible waltz that was being played by the orchestra.

They were mesmerised by their love for each other, while swaying and waltzing away the night until the early hours.

The jealous husband, who by now knew she loved his competitor the Baron, was incandescent – his fury had no bounds…

He challenged his competitor the Baron for a duel.

Louise, having been informed of the duel between her husband and lover, was distraught… anguished… and tormented…

She put her lace black veil and went to church to ask the “higher powers” to help protect her lover – the man she loved and adored – more than life.

“Mais, c’était trop tard”…

It was too late…

Looking pale and wan, and very ill indeed, she heard two shots…

At that moment, she knew the two men had fatally shot each other.

She fell down…

She too had gone.

She departed…

To rejoin her… lover.

Forever…

To quote Alfred, Lord Tennyson :

“‘Tis better to have loved and lost…

Than never to have loved at all.”

While wiping away a tear at the tragic end of the lovers in this tale, I thought how much I identified with “le grand amour” of yesteryear, than the shallow “love” of our present times.

Men knew how to love deeply, profoundly – a woman.  They were willing to die for her – for their love.

They did… in this case.

Their love was deep, meaningful, and passionate, all-encompassing, all-consuming – total.

That kind of love – is the stuff of legend.

“J’adore ça”…

Unfortunately, that quality of love does not exist in our society today.

Very few of today’s “darling men” are willing to sacrifice much for the women they love, much less die for them…

Women, today, are easily discarded… replaceable… negotiable…

How I yearn for the…

“Love” of yesteryear…

a.