La Belle Noiseuse: Divertimento. Jacques Rivette, 1993.
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Edition screened: Included in the Artificial Eye 3-DVD set La Belle Noiseuse: Definitive Edition, released 2009. French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 125 minutes.
Summary: Taxidermy action.
Michel Piccoli and Jane Birkin own an old French castle, in which she has a small taxidermy studio and he has a huge painting studio. Several dialogue scenes take place in the taxidermy studio, in which there sometimes is vague action on a table involving a bird specimen. There is no focus on or explanation of the taxidermy work. The studio is a symbolic place for dialogue to occur.
Details:
1) Michel Piccoli is in frame carrying a dead rabbit, 7:48-8:00.
2) We enter Jane Birkin’s taxidermy studio and see her prepare a dead bird for taxidermy, going over it with a Stanley knife, 34:00-35:45.
3) Taxidermy studio dialogue 53:15-54:50.
4) Taxidermy studio dialogue 1:24:26-1:26:40.
La Belle Noiseuse: Divertimento is about half the length of the original film and creates a somewhat different, still excellent, viewing experience. In part, we get less of Michel Piccoli’s superb portrayal of a tired artist, and more of the relationship between Jane Birkin and Emmanuelle Béart.