Bitter Moon is a 1992 melodrama directed by the famous Roman Polanski. The film is based on the novel by Pascal Brückner. The premiere of the film took place in England in 1992, the film’s budget did not pay off and was criticized because of the sado-masochistic inclinations in the plot.
The plot of the film is quite romantic – Fiona and Nigel have been together for seven years. They decided to bring something new to their union and set off on a journey through the sea of Middle-earth. On the ship, they accidentally meet Oscar the writer and his young companion Mimi. They are an international couple: Oscar is from America, Mimi is French. He is disabled – he cannot walk because of his illness, so he moves with the help of a wheelchair. Nigel listens to Oscar’s story about how their love story has developed.
Once they met in Paris – Oscar gave his bus ticket to Mimi. They started talking and soon developed a very close relationship. Passionate sex leveled all prohibitions, age was not a hindrance for lovers, even though Oscar was 40 at that time, and Mimi was only 20. In an intimate setting, they forgot about all the principles and laws of life – passion and lust covered them with their heads. Very soon, Oscar felt that he was no longer so attracted to Mimi, because sex had become boring and monotonous, the former fire was no longer observed in their relationship. He tried to get rid of Mimi as soon as possible, to part with her, but the girl was against it. She tried in every way to keep Oscar near her, she wanted to become his wife, she did not even pay attention to the ridicule of other women and Oscar himself. Yes, he allowed himself to insult Mimi during parties where she did not look her best.
Deceiving Mimi, Oscar suggested that she leave their country and travel to another. He himself gets into an accident and is in the hospital for a long time. Mimi comes to him and, for the sake of revenge for deceit and contempt, pushes him out of bed. Her former lover is injured and cannot walk, using a wheelchair. Mimi does not leave him, takes care and takes care of him, while Oscar falls into a state of complete dependence on his former lover.
The Meaning of Roman Polanski’s Bitter Moon
Mimi continues to woo Oscar, and her revenge reaches unforeseen horizons. She has sex with her black lover in the presence of Oscar, knowing that he will not be able to stop it due to the inability to move around. She always lingers in clubs and comes to the house only in the morning. The girl mocks Oscar: hinting that it is time for him to end this life, she gives him a gun, already loaded, for his birthday. They tolerate such attitudes towards each other and, despite incomprehensible squabbles and quarrels, confirm their relationship before the law, although their newly made marriage is already warped with revenge and hatred.
Newly made acquaintances remain just observers of the relationship between Mimi and Oscar, but soon Mimi invites Nigel and Fiona into her game. Nigel receives an offer from Mimi to become her lover, but the girl herself is in no hurry to make the offer a reality. As a result, she has sex with Fiona. Oscar can’t stand it and shoots Mimi, then kills himself with the same gun.
The title of the movie, “Bitter Moon,” refers to a period very different from the honeymoon that newlyweds go to after their wedding. It was a bitter month for Oscar and Mimi. They are deeply unhappy. Mimi is unhappy because she was rejected, abandoned and tricked into ending the relationship. Oscar is unhappy because he is forced to live with a woman he does not love, but because of his injury he cannot build a normal relationship. He has to see how his once beloved Mimi cheats on him in front of his eyes with another person. Oscar endures all humiliation, as Mimi once endured him.
Special attention belongs to another topic – revenge. Women are more capable of revenge than men, which is why Mimi is so cold-blooded towards Oscar. She does not spare either him or his feelings, doing everything so that he feels her inner pain on herself. People who get married under such circumstances will not last long together, this is a direct road to the finish of the relationship.
The meaning of the film itself is that it is necessary to listen to the heart and try with all your might to free yourself from relationships that are pulling you to the bottom. If Mimi had found the strength to let go of Oscar, the story would have ended happily. However, she is not a timid one – she decides to take revenge on her lover with her presence in his life. If Oscar had managed to part softly with Mimi, his story would not have become so sad.
The meaning of the ending is tragic – it is the peak of misunderstanding and an explosion of feelings. Oscar can’t stand everything that Mimi does – it goes beyond all the limits of reason. He decides to stop this disgrace by using against Mimi herself in her own way, using her gift. To some extent, Oscar is doing the right thing by resolving their relationship in this way. Someday there had to be an end to everything, because such a mockery of the feelings of a loved one is unacceptable.
