REVIEW: ‘Last Year at Marienbad’
Photo: One of the most iconic shots of Last Year at Marienbad is of a park where the people cast shadows, but the well-trimmed trees stand shadow-less. Photo courtesy of Rialto Pictures.
Last Year at Marienbad is a real head-scratcher of a film. I’d be inclined to call Alain Resnais’ 1961 Golden Lion winner a love-it-or-hate-it movie, but in actuality, I found myself pulled into the middle of the appreciation quotient. There are startling images of beauty and wonderfully dizzying displays of narrative abstraction throughout the drama, but the inability to engage with the central characters on a deeper level proved a tad frustrating.
Count this as a rite of passage for cinephiles to see at least once, and now the Film Forum in New York City has afforded viewers the chance to do just that. Last Year at Marienbad, in a new 4K restoration, is currently playing at the arthouse cinema, thanks to Rialto Pictures.
In the movie, which is more of a modern-art exhibit, Giorgio Albertazzi and Delphine Seyrig talk back and forth about their alleged time together one year prior. However, it becomes clear that their memories are not 100 percent accurate, and the whole narrative thrust of their conversation is to dissect the power of memory itself.
Quick scene changes produce a visually stark presentation of their relationship, both in the present and past. As a story is being told, the camera shifts to the supposed memory. If the teller of the tale second guesses the recollection, the images shift again.
Empty corridors are common images, overlaid with a dreamy narration that repeats itself several times.
Sacha Pitoëff plays a third central character, a man who challenges Albertazzi to a card game. It’s an interesting dealing of the cards — almost like a shell game — and Pitoëff always seems to win, much to the consternation of Albertazzi. As the games escalate throughout the 93-minute film, so does the relationship and escapism of the central love affair between Seyrig and Albertazzi.
Using the actor’s real names seems appropriate because Alain Robbe-Grillet’s Oscar-nominated script doesn’t use character names. These are enigmas wrapped in mystery, and for this rather short cinematic experiment, the confusion largely wins over the audience. As long as the viewer is willing to give themselves over to the narrative, and truly sidestep any semblance of structure and sense, Last Year at Marienbad works as an auteur’s look at memory and love.
The performances are powerful, especially from Seyrig. She goes through so many emotions because of the slipping away of her recollections. Sometimes she is playful and loving with Albertazzi, while other times she is terrified and unsure of herself. One can almost see the uncertainty play out on her facial features.
The setting, a palatial estate much like Versailles that is now used as a hotel, adds to the atmosphere and mystery.
One would have hoped the script allowed more introspection and exploration of these characters. Not much is learned before “Fin” appears on the screen, and even the most intrepid of audience members could feel let down that the story, even with no true character arcs, didn’t probe a bit more.
That said, Last Year at Marienbad is daring and bold in its unconventionality. It drives audiences to watch it over and over again, hoping to figure out the puzzle, or in this case, the card game.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Last Year at Marienbad (1961). Directed by Alain Resnais. Written by Alain Robbe-Grillet. Starring Giorgio Albertazzi, Delphine Seyrig and Sacha Pitoëff. Running time: 93 minutes. A Rialto Pictures Release. In French with English subtitles. Plays at Film Forum in New York City. Rating: 
