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Clarissa

Name: Clarissa
Director: Jacques Deray
Released: 1998
Duration: 104 min

Representation Score

2.1/10

Limited

1998

Director

Jacques Deray

Runtime

104 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Clarissa is a traditional period drama that emphasizes historical realism and individual romantic struggle. The narrative follows a conventional path, focusing on a woman's survival amidst the upheaval of the First World War. The film relies heavily on established European dramatic clichés. It explores personal endurance within social structures like the monastery and marriage, but it does not seek to challenge or deconstruct these institutions. Ultimately, the work serves as a character study of romantic longing and pragmatic survival. It lacks the depth required to move beyond a standard historical framework.

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Category Breakdown

Does Clarissa have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story follows a traditional romantic relationship between Clarissa and Léonard. There is no representation of non-binary or LGBTQ+ identities or critiques of heteronormativity.

How does Clarissa portray gender?

Fair

The narrative centers on Clarissa's role within restrictive environments. While she demonstrates resilience through practical decision-making, her role remains focused on being a lover and wife.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Clarissa?

Limited

Set in pre-WWI Vienna, the film focuses on a predominantly European cast. The inclusion of a French character adds international flavor but does not include broader ethnic diversity.

How does Clarissa represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film uses religious discipline and geopolitical conflict as backdrops for personal tragedy. It highlights individual endurance within societal structures without critiquing those institutions.

Does Clarissa include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative contains no depiction of characters dealing with physical, neurodivergent, or mental health conditions.

Present on Screen

The film provides a focused look at female resilience and practical decision-making in a restrictive era.
It offers a detailed exploration of how large-scale geopolitical conflicts impact individual romantic lives.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks representation of non-binary or LGBTQ+ identities or perspectives.
The story adheres to a homogeneous European demographic, lacking racial or ethnic diversity.
The film follows traditional social hierarchies rather than offering an anti-institutional critique.

Official Synopsis

Vienna before the First World War: Clarissa Schuhmeister grows up in the monastery. Strict discipline determines her life until she meets the Frenchman Léonard and falls in love with him. Just when she expects a child from him, the First World War tears the happy couple apart. Out of pragmatism, Clarissa marries Gottfried, a deserter, with whom she makes a painful yet realistic agreement so that he will not be sent back to war. But she never feels love for him because she can not forget Léonard.

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