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Malady of Love

Malady of Love

Representation Score

3.4/10

Limited

1987

Director

Jacques Deray

Runtime

122 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Malady of Love operates within the classical framework of French romantic drama, emphasizing interpersonal conflict over broader social critique. The story revolves around a repetitive cycle of pursuit and abandonment among three central characters. The film adheres to traditional archetypes, particularly in its portrayal of gender and medical conditions. It functions primarily as a study of romantic fatalism, focusing on individual passion and psychological interactions within a homogeneous social landscape.

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Category Breakdown

Does Malady of Love have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a traditional heterosexual relationship involving three main characters. It does not include any characters with non-binary gender identities or explore critiques of heterosexuality.

How does Malady of Love portray gender?

Fair

The story follows traditional gender roles, where Juliette is shown as emotionally unstable and passive, while the male characters compete for dominance and influence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Malady of Love?

Limited

The setting suggests a typical European context, likely reflecting a homogeneous demographic typical of mid-century French romance. The narrative leans towards a conventional European backdrop.

How does Malady of Love represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film emphasizes individualistic struggles in a romantic context, focusing on personal relationships rather than broader social or cultural critiques. It engages with traditional Western social structures through its medical and provincial settings.

Does Malady of Love include disability representation?

Limited

Juliette's Hodgkin's disease serves as a metaphor for love, which can overshadow the reality of living with a serious illness. This framing may reduce the condition to a narrative tool for emotional development.

Present on Screen

  • Technical skill in classical cinematic aesthetics.
  • Deep exploration of psychological interplay between main characters.

Limited or Absent

  • Dependence on traditional gender roles and patriarchal dynamics.
  • Use of physical illness as a metaphor for emotional states.
  • Absence of diverse representation or broader social critique.

Official Synopsis

Two physicians, one old and one young, fall in love with the same woman, Juliette, a quixotic hairdresser. First, she is with Raoul, the older one; then passion for Clément, the younger doctor, takes over. Raoul fights back, playing on Clément's guilt and Juliette's lack of self-assurance; then, Clément makes his case to Juliette, abandons his fiancée, and takes her to the provinces where he sets up practice and asks her to have a baby. She panics and abruptly leaves Clément, taking up with Raoul again. When she contracts Hodgkin's disease and the treatment does no good, Raoul believes she has the malady of love. Is there a cure?

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