Chocolat - Desire, What Is It?

http://apostrophemagazine.com/chocolat-must-rent-feel-good-movie/ [pic 1][pic 2]

By Jaymee Smith

Desire. What is it? Imagine yourself longing for something. You really want it. What if you can’t get it tomorrow? It’s something you must have. Something you can’t live without. You desire it.

Desire. Ryan Adams song goes through my mind, ‘Two hearts fading, like a flower, And all this waiting, for the power, for some answers, to this fire, sinking slowly, the waters higher... mmm… Desire, Desire.’ To me, desire seems a little bit painful and unsettling.

‘A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.’

        According to oxford dictionaries, desire means ‘a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.’[pic 3]

        Personally, I agree with this. Having a desire is to long or crave something that will bring satisfaction or enjoyment to you.

        I guess sometimes people are often disappointed even after fulfilling their desire. Like it just wasn’t enough and they are craving more of it.

        In some ways, I guess this isn’t all that bad because it makes it even more delightful and amusing when it finally does come around.

        But once the desire is fulfilled there’s nothing left.

Or is there? Once you get something you want, whether it come as a disappointment or satisfies you, you’re still

chasing the next thing. Nothing is ever enough, we are just constantly wanting and craving more than what we already get.

        Which gets me started - at last. Lasse Hallström’s film Chocolat.

There is so much desire presented in this film, from Josephine’s wish to leave her husband and live freely, to the Comte de Reynaud trying to keep the town in order and follow Lent as it’s always been. Its Vianne’s desire, though, that I would like to focus on.

Vianne moves from town to town following in her mother’s footsteps spreading their love of chocolate, and finding new flavours. When Vianne and her daughter Anouk moved to a small French village, things got interesting. Her desire is to find out people’s favourite chocolate by using a spinning wheel.

Spinning wheel to choose their favourite chocolate.

The whole movie she was trying to find out what Roux’s favourite chocolate is but couldn’t guess it. Then right at the end she makes him a hot chocolate and he says, “Finally you guessed it.”  

Vianne was not religious at all and had little care towards it, however this village was all about religion and following it strictly. They moved to the village to set up a Chocolat shop. The Comte de Reynaud went and asked her what she was setting up and told her it was risky to do such a thing during Lent and that she wouldn’t get any business.

The Comte de Reynaud was not prepared for what was coming his way.

Vianne really stood her ground and listened to nothing the people were saying to her. They viewed her as an immoral, that she had a lack of decency, faith, commitment and discipline. When all she was doing was fulfilling her desires.

Josephine was one of Vianne’s customers, and they became very close. Josephine told Vianne that, “You don't misbehave here. It's just not done, did you know that? If you don't go to confession, if you don't... dig your flowerbeds, or if you don't pretend, if you don't pretend... that you want nothing more in your life than to serve your husband three meals a day, and give him children, and vacuum under his ass, then... then you're... then you're crazy.”