Ithasbeensaidthatmostgreattwentiethcenturynovelsincludescenesinahotel,asymptomofthevastuprootingthathasoccurredinthelastcentury:JamesIvorybeginsQuartetwithamontageofthehotelsofMontparnasse,aquietpreludebeforeourintroductiontotheviolentlylostsoulswhoinhabitthem.
Adaptedfromthe1928autobiographicalnovelbyJeanRhys,QuartetisthestoryofalovequadranglebetweenacomplicatedyoungWestIndianwomannamedMarya(playedbyIsabelleAdjani),herhusbandStefan(AnthonyHiggins),amanipulativeEnglishartpatronnamedHeidler(AlanBates),andhispainterwifeLois(MaggieSmith).ThefilmissetintheGoldenAgeofParis,Hemingway's"moveablefeast"ofcafecultureandextravagantnightlife,glitterandliterati:yetunderneathistheoutlineofsomethingsinisterbeneaththepolishedbrassesandbrasseries.
WhenMarya'shusbandisputinaParisprisononchargesofsellingstolenartworks,sheisleftindigentandistakeninbyHeidlerandhiswife:thepredatoryEnglishman(whosecharacterRhysbasesonthenovelistFordMadoxFord)isquicktotakeadvantageofthenewlivingarrangement,andMaryafindsherselfinastrangleholdbetweenhusbandandwife.Loversalternatelygravitatetowardandarerepelledbyeachother,nowprofessingtheirlove,nowconfessingtheirbrutalindifference--allthewhilekeepingupappearances.Thefilmexploresthevastterritorybetweenthe"nice"andthe"good,"betweenoutwardrefinementandinnerdarkness:afteroneviolentepisode,LoisasksMaryanottospeakofittothePariscrowd."Isthatallyou'reworriedabout?"demandsanoutragedMarya."Yes,"Loisreplieswithicycandor,"asamatteroffact."
AdjaniwontheBestActressawardatCannesforherperformancesinQuartet:herMaryaisavolatilecompoundofFrenchschoolgirlandscornedmistress,veeringbetweentremulousjoyandhystericaloutburst.Smithshinesinoneofhermostmemorableroles:sheimbuesLoiswithaKatherine-of-Aragonimpotentrage,ashumiliatedassheispowerlessinthefaceofherhusband'schoices.HerinteractionswithBatesarescenesfromamarriagethathasmovedfromdisillusionmenttopaleacceptance.
RuthPrawerJhabvalaandJamesIvory'sscreenplayusesRhys'snovelasafoundationfromwhichitconstructsaworldthatisbothtruetothenovelanddistinctiveinitsownright,paintingasocietythathaslostitsinhibitionsandinadvertentlylostitssoul.Wearetakentomirroredcafes,thenmovethroughthelookingglass:Marya,inonescene,isofferedajobasamodelandthenfindsherselfinasadomasochisticpornographer'sstudio.Thefilm,asphotographedbyPierreLhomme,createsthoroughlycinematicmomentsthatRhy'snovelcouldnothaveattempted:inoneoftheIvory'smostmemorablescenes,ablackAmericanchanteuse(extraordinarilyplayedbyArmeliaMcQueen)entertainsParisianpatronswithabigandbrassyjazzsong,neithersubtlenorelegant.Ivorykeepsthecameraonthesinger'sact:thereissomethinginherunguardedsmilethatmakesthedangerbeneathMontparnassemannersseemmoreacute.
