Cinema is quite useful tool for many students when they are given famous literary works as school assignments while lacking time and inclination to actually read them. Film adaptations often represent the simplest and the most accessible way to familiarise with and understand literature. On the other hand, many of such adaptations can stray very far from the source and what the original author wanted to do. One of the better known examples is The Unbearable Lightness of Being, famous novel by Czech writer Milan Kundera, celebrated as one of the greatest works of 20th Century European literature. In 1988 it was adapted into eponymous drama film directed by Phil Kaufman.
The plot begins in late 1960s Communist Czechoslovakia. Protagonist, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, is Tomas, Prague brain surgeon whose skills at operating table are matched by his ability to seduce almost any woman he wants. His only steady relationship is with Sabina (played by Lena Olin), free-spirited artist who, like him, believes that sex should be separated from love. One day Tomas is sent to small spa town to perform surgery and there he meets beautiful waitress Tereza (played by Juliette Binoche). She follows him to Prague where he starts relationship with her, allows her move in his apartment, helps her pursue career of photographer and ultimately marries her. The marriage is, however, under increased strain due to Tomas continuing with his womanising lifestyle. In the meantime, Czechoslovakia under reformist leadership of Alexander Dubček is pursuing policy of “Socialism with human face” and promotes free speech. Tomas, like many of friends, supports the movement but the rest of East Bloc, including Soviet Union, isn’t that enthusiastic, which would ultimately lead to Warsaw Pact invasion. Tereza tries to help street protests against occupying troops with her photographs but she and Tomas, ultimately, decide to emigrate to Switzerland where Sabina went earlier. Sabina enjoys new freedom, which includes relationship with married professor Franz (played by Derek De Lint) and continuation of relationship with Tomas. Tereza, however, isn’t happy and returns to Czehoslovakia, making Tomas follow her. He now has to deal with enmity of new hardline pro-Soviet regime that wants him to denounce his old political sympathies; when he refuses, he is barred from practising medicine and forced to perform odd jobs. Tereza and Tomas ultimately find some sort of happiness when they decide to leave Prague and start new life on a remote farm.
From a strictly technical standpoint, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a success. Director Phil Kaufman is one of the most talented film makers of New Hollywood and in this project he was aided by other famous names. Those included editor Walter Murch and cinematographer Sven Nykwist; the work of those two is best in the scenes that reconstruct 1968 anti-Soviet street protests in Prague by seamlessly mixing documentary footage with live action scenes shot in French city of Lyon which perfectly “mimics” Prague (at the time of production inaccessible due to still ongoing Cold War). Film also benefits from very good, diverse and quite talented cast. Daniel Day-Lewis in one of his early roles is very convincing as the man who with combination of good looks and roguish charm can make almost any woman take her clothes off. French actress Juliette Binoche is also great in her first English-speaking roles; she plays her character in a way that convincingly transforms her from ingenue into “salt-of-the-earth” perfect housewife near the end of the film. This role was one of many that would make her into star of European “artsy” dramas. Swedish actress Lena Olin, also in her first Hollywood role, is also great as immensely seductive and sexually liberated woman. Even minor roles are played by highly respected actors like Erland Josephsson, Stellan Skarsgard and Daniel Olbrychski.
As an adaptation, The Unbearable Lightness of Being was failure. At least that was the view of Kundera himself, who famously distanced himself from the film and later banned all of his work from further adaptations. While great works of literature are notoriously difficult to adapt, even viewers who haven’t read the novel might find some problems with this film. French screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrièrre apparently wrote rather faithful adaptation which was later altered by Kaufman. The result is film that tries to be too many things at once and never particularly succeeding in it, despite epic running time of almost three hours. First and most noticeable aspect of the film is political, framed by still ongoing Cold War and which could be understood even in light current events; film depicts how small and charming East European country had its hopes of freedom brutally crushed by Russians, portrayed as arrogant brutes hostile to everything Western, which includes even the rock music. In the second part, film tries to deal with the issues of living under totalitarian system and some scene in ironic ways portray how it benefits from people’s conformisms; this is portrayed in scenes in which Tomas’ friends, who used to be even more radical in their anti-Soviet views than him, are now efficiently domesticated and transformed into regime’s tacit supporters. A Czech author or someone familiar with such realities could have used it as an opportunity for some black comedy; Kaufman obviously missed it and the scene that features Tereza’s attempt to cheat on her husband descends into cheap spy fiction cliches.
Film’s political context often stand in the way of the more universal theme of freedom (or “lightness” as Kundera describes it) and humans apparently inability to deal with it. In context of this film the freedom is associated with sex and film tries to deal with connection (and its lack of) between sex and committed relationships. For Kaufman that was opportunity to indulge in something that he didn’t quite do in previous stages of his career – erotic scenes, that feature plenty of nudity and explicit sex. Kaufman directs them in very stylish ways (very much like the in his next two films Henry and June and Rising Sun), but they, while visually attractive, can’t hide flawed main plot, which is reduced to simple love triangle, which ultimately gets resolved in the most banal and emotionally unsatisfying way. Viewers’ experience will be also marred by sometimes annoying musical score by Mark Adler. While well-made film, The Ultimate Lightness of Being would require too much patience from many viewers and leave them unhappy. However, if the film entices someone to read Kundera’s work, it could serve its purpose.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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