Une Femme Mariée

A Film by Jean-Luc Godard

In UNE FEMME MARIÉE Godard turns his socio-political lens on the dehumanising institution of marriage in his examination of an adulterous woman. The original title, THE MARRIED WOMAN, caused outrage in France, where it was seen as Godard's indictment of all married women as opposed to one isolated case.

Charlotte (played by the luminous Macha Méril) is the middle-class wife of aviator Pierre, though she is sleeping with budding actor Robert. Through Charlotte, in several vignettes, Godard showcases a married woman's passion, intelligence, beauty, hidden desires and loneliness to create a distinctly critical view of the alienating effects of marriage. Godard introduces us to Charlotte in a strangely fragmented way, focusing his camera on isolated female body parts—the small of her back, the graceful arc of her neck, the curve of a hip—to indicate her representation not as a singular character but as an archetype of all women. Thus, despite being forced to change his title, the meaning has remained.

Godard’s picture captures a moment in time. In spite of this, all its mysteries, its truths, its beauty, comedy and grace, serve to resolve into a work of art for the ages.

DVD Special Features

Newly restored print
An audio commentary by Dr. Adrian Martin, Senior Research Fellow, Film and Television Studies, Monash University and Co-editor of ROUGE magazine.
Original theatrical trailer