Claire Darling, also listed as La Derniere Folie De Claire Darling, or Claire Darling’s Last Madness, is the latest film of acclaimed French actress and icon Catherine Deneuve. Aged 76 she also shares the screen with daughter Chiara Mastroianni [her father being the late Marcello Mastroianni]. Deneuve plays Claire living in a small village who wakes on the first day of summer convinced this is her last day. With this in mind she decides to empty her house and give away all her belongings. In doing this Claire finds freedom from the weight of the past which she is letting go of. However in doing this Marie, her daughter whom she has not seen for 20 years returns.
The elegant score is by Olivier Daviaud has composed for film and tv mainly in France. I have not heard of him before but am very taken with this score considering the flamboyant subject matter. The soundtrack’s cover is also superb showing Claire enjoying life riding a bumber car!
The opening title track grabbed me by it’s oddness, there’s is a childishness to it played on either on bells or even a child’s toy xylophone. The leitmotif in itself kind of ‘skips’ and in the background is a percussive thunder. There is a lot going on and you receive mixed messages at the same time as being completely sucked in. Les Automates is almost classic in its structure and is simple but effective with plucked strings and exquisite piano.
The leitmotif returns in La Fugue doing it’s part musically by intertwining and repeating, and cleverly representing a physical fugue representing Claire’s step away from her usual environment. The musical terms continue with the jaunty Farandole [meaning medley]. Le Deuil [Mourning] is piano and violin slowly paced and quite heartbreaking in it’s simplicity.
More musical word play with a cue called La Derniere Valse [The Last Waltz] followed by the more robust end piece – Claire Darling, this time with brass and accordion.
And there it was gone, so lovely but not enough – quite short cues but so tightly cohesive never straying far from it’s simple form. A delight and I look forward to more by Monsieur Daviaud.
2. Le Premier Vide Grenier 1:43
3. Les Cartables 0:45
4. Les Automates 1:23
5. La Fugue 1:56
6. Les Visions De Marie 0:54
7. Les Vélos 1:28
8. Farandole 1:35
9. Le Curé 1:30
10. La Danse De Claire 1:19
11. Le Scarabee Bousier 1:19
12. Le Deuil 3:32
13. Marie Retrouve La Bague 0:56
14. Les Mariées 1:28
15. La Dernière Valse 4:04
16. Explosion 1:54
17. Générique Fin Claire Darling 3:14
Filmic Tracks 