The flower in the shot is a weak subsidiary contrast. However, symbolically the flower is the dominant. Its central location within the shot shows its importance to both characters; however it appears to be placed slightly more towards Rauffenstein. His affinity for this flower and the beauty it symbolizes shows his reluctance to let go of aristocracy (a time of privileges before the war) even in a dark fortress. It is his one connection with humanity in a world of the inhumane politics of war. The brace that is clearly visible is a contrasting symbol to the flower that shows his entrapment in a world that is changing where his old ideals and duty to family, class, and honor are becoming meaningless. Boeldieu’s preoccupation with the object in his hand as well as his location in the shot above the crippled German gives the audience an impression that Rauffenstein is trying desperately to make a connection with this old world through Boeldieu. This same idea is reinforced with Rauffenstein’s military-like profile position and formal hand gestures within the shot contrasted with Boeldien’s relaxed nearly full front position.
Boeldieu seems much more willing to accept the transition into a new world that is no longer driven by the privileges possessed with being upper class and associated with a rich family name. Renoir does seem to romanticize the sense of duty associated with European aristocracy, but he shows us that duty must lie somewhere greater than family or nationality. He offers hope that people will sacrifice for others not because they are a part of the same ethnic group or religion, but because we all share a common universality as humans.
After Rauffenstein fulfills his duty by shooting Boeldieu, he severs his flower and cuts his last tie to humanity. He recognizes the nobility and duty of Boeldieu to something greater than family or politics. The selflessness and break from the old world of aristocracy was all told with Boeldieu’s final sacrifice to two men – two common men. Renoir shows us through this sacrifice that duty to mankind should supersede any duty to class, nationality, politics, or war. Renoir makes his ridicule of the “disillusionment” that war gets us anywhere or solves anything obvious.
Wonderful post, Bradley. Very insightful and well written. I particularly like your comparison of the flower (soft and fleshy) with R's artificial chin and rigid posture. The object in Boeldieu's hand, interestingly, is a horse's hoof, a champion ridden by R before the war, reduced now to a memento mori that they use as an ashtray. Another interesting symbol of the passing of their way of life. You also mention duty here, which recalls the line "duty is duty," spoken first by Boeldieu, and later by the nameless German soldier who sticks his head in Elsa's window. I wonder what we might make of this very deliberate repetition.
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