1994 Drama by Krzysztof Kieslowski, final film of the Three Colors trilogy. Details on IMDB and Wikipedia.
Love as Redemption for a Second Chance
Red by Kieslowski
Download PDF of RED Story Chart
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 Synopsis
2 Analysis
3 Narrative Structure
4 Character Design
5 Thematic Design
6 Obstacle Design
7 Plot Breakdown
Synopsis
Central Idea
Love will redeem bitterness and give life a second chance.
Summary
Joseph is an old retired judge. He lives in bitter solitude having been betrayed by the love of his life long ago and thus losing all belief in love. Joseph reaffirms his bitter view of life by spying on the private telephone conversations of his neighbors. Valentine is a young, warm, innocent student who runs over Joseph’s dog, Rita, and brings her home to Joseph. Joseph refuses to care for Rita. Valentine takes Rita to the vet to cure her wounds and returns her to Joseph. Joseph lets Valentine find out about his spying and challenges Valentine to tell the neighbors. Valentine tries to but realizes that telling them may add to their misery. She is affected by Joseph’s provocation but refuses belive that people are innately bad even as tragedy strikes her own life and she is in an unhealthy long distance relationship with a jealous boyfriend. Joseph turns himself into the police and is brought to trial. He does this to see what Valentine would do. Valentine rushes to him to tell him she did not turn him in. Joseph’s bitterness is melted by Valentine’s innate tendency to care. He encourages her and shares with her the root of his bitterness. The two become friends and Joseph is able to move away from his bitter past. Throughout the film Valentine keeps running by her neighbor, Auguste, but they never meet. Auguste is a junior version of Joseph and his life seems doomed to repeat Joseph’s bitter path. An accident brings Valentine together with Auguste. The film ends on a hopeful note as Valentine and Auguste are also given a second chance at life and love.
Analysis
VALENTINE I feel something important is happening around me.
RED is a masterpiece in visualizing and dramatizing the invisible: first of all the internal transformation of a bitter old man into a man who embraces life for a second time, and secondly the force of fate masquerading as chance in our lives. Much of this is accomplished through the use of the character of AUGUSTE. In telling the first story of Joseph’s transformation through his four meetings with Valentine, Kieslowski could have easily employed flashbacks. The problem would have been that of the lack of dramatic action: the flashbacks would have served us exposition and little else. Instead, Kieslowski creates AUGUSTE who goes through exactly what Joseph the old man had gone through in his life. Thus each revelation from Joseph’s life has a double impact as it is experienced live through current dramatic action in AUGUSTE’s life. Exposition becomes action and we also experience the second story of fate masked as chance. This narrative structure’s full force is unleashed at the climax of RED. As Joseph completes his inner transformation and embraces a second chance at life, he breaks the linked fate between himself and Auguste. Auguste meets Valentine, whose love had redeemed Joseph’s life and whose love we hope will save Auguste from his own bitter fate. By creating Auguste, Kieslowski has given us visual and dramatic insight into a great story about redemption and chance.
JOSEPH Perhaps you’re the woman I never met.
Plot Structure
| PLOT TYPE | PLOT | CENTRAL IDEA | ARC |
| MAIN | Valentine-Joseph | Love as redemption. Will Valentine be able to change the embittered and seemingly omniscient Joseph to a person who cares again? Or will Valentine be changed and come to have a hardened view of life? | Joseph goes from being a bitter, impotent, lonely old man spying on society from afar to a warm, caring person who overcomes his regrets and helps Valentine find love. |
| SUB-PLOT | Joseph Trial | Morals and values. Will Joseph be punished for his illegal spying? | Joseph goes through trial and faces the punishment. |
| SUB-PLOT | Rita Missing | Will Rita find her home again and have a safe pregnancy? | Rita goes through life danger but survives with the help of Valentine. |
| SUB-PLOT | Auguste-Karin | Love as impossible in a corrupt society. Will their love survive? | Auguste and Karin are happily in love. But he is betrayed by Karin. |
| SUB-PLOT | Valentine-Michel | Love as espionage. Will Michel and Valentine be able to survive a long distance relationship? | Valentine is in love but Michel’s suspicion threatens to poison their relationship. Fate steps in to prevent their reunion. |
| SUB-PLOT | Valentine-Auguste | Love as destiny. Will Valentine and Auguste get to meet? | Auguste’s life is shattered but he meets Valentine. |
| SUB-PLOT | Joseph-Auguste | Love as a second chance. Will Auguste avoid ending up on the bittered path of life like Joseph? | Auguste’s life seems to parallel Joseph’s seeming to send his on a path towards a lonely, bitter old age. Until fate intervenes. |
Character Design
Red Character Design
VALENTINE
Desire: To help others.
Secret Desire: To find true lasting happiness.
Fear: Hurting others.
Traits: Innocent, naïve, open, warm, loving, pure, sensitive
JOSEPH
Desire: To judge.
Secret Desire: To be understood.
Fear: To be hurt again.
Traits: Omniscient, betrayed, bitter, provocative
Themes
1) Love as redemption in a corrupt world.
2) Chance as the mask of fate and destiny; compensatory karma.
Obstacle Design
Red Obstacle Design
Plot Breakdown
| PLOT | ACTION
< REVELATION > PAYOFF ? GAP OF EXPECTATION |
VALUE
(+) pos (-) neg |
CHARACTER | |
| 1 | Valentine-Michel | Michel calls Valentine. Gets a busy signal. Redials.
< distance to travel for call, rain < busy signal, flashing lights |
(-) | |
| 2 | Valentine-Auguste | Exposition: Auguste walks his dog.
< portrait of ballet dancer < red car swerve misses dog < Chez Joseph café |
(+) | |
| 3 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine answers phone. Michel asks if she is alone. Valentine tells Michel she slept with his jacket.
< cherry image < Valentine’s profile |
(-) | Valentine happy to hear Michel’s voice. Michel is unsympathetic. |
| 4 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT connecting Valentine Auguste. | (+) | |
| 5 | Auguste-Karin | Auguste gives kiss over the phone to Karin.
< personalized weather service |
(+) | |
| 6 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT connecting Valentine Auguste. | (+) | |
| 7 | EXPOSITION Valentine loses at the slot machine, gives thumbs up to owner.
> cherry < slot machine ritual < paper ritual |
|||
| 8 | Valentine does bubble gum photo shoot.
> profile < profile RED shot |
|||
| 9 | EXPOSITION Valentine physically strains herself at ballet. does Leaves class.
> ballet dancer portrait < cathedral door |
Valentine says bye to character off screen. | ||
| 10 | EXPOSITION Valentine smiles and almost trips at fashion show. | Valentine smiles and almost trips. She is radiant in her openness. Not typical model. | ||
| 11 | EXPOSITION Valentine rests in her car and drives off after fashion show.
< billboard space for Ad |
We are watching Valentine through glass. | ||
| 12 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Valentine to Auguste. | (+) | |
| 13 | Valentine-Auguste | Auguste drops his books on the road.
< open page to exam question |
(+) | Chance / fate – Auguste books open as Valentine passes. |
| 14 | Valentine-Joseph
INCITING INCIDENT Rita Missing INCITING INCIDENT 9 min |
Valentine is distracted with the radio and runs over Rita. | (-)
(-) |
Chance / fate – radio didn’t work. |
| 15 | Rita Missing | Valentine picks up Rita and puts her in her car. | (+) | |
| 16 | Rita Missing | Valentine drives to Joseph’s house with Rita. | (+) | |
| 17 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine explores the stranger’s house. | (-) | |
| 18 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph she ran over Rita. Valentine accuses Joseph of being indifferent. < Joseph at window |
(-) | |
| 19 | Rita Missing | Valentine takes Rita to the vet.
< “Marc” |
(+) | Valentine responds with fear to name “Marc”. |
| 20 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine tells Michel about Rita. Michel asks Valentine to return her. | (-) | Phone – Michel’s surveillance.
Valentine takes care of Rita. |
| 21 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine’s car alarm goes off. Michel refuses to wait for Valentine to shut it off.
> flashing lights (earlier busy signal) |
(-) | |
| 22 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Valentine to Auguste. | (+) | |
| 23 | Auguste-Karin | Karin visits Auguste. | (+) | Auguste cleans up apartment. |
| 24 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine sees the photos from session. Valentine refuses photographer’s romantic advance. | (+) | |
| 25 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine sees newspaper about her brother’s drug abuse. Valentine wins at slot machine. | (-) | |
| 26 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine gets money from the mailman. | (+) | Glass – desire for contact, fear for intimacy. |
| 27 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine calls brother but doesn’t find him. | (-) | |
| 28 | Rita Missing | Valentine walks Rita. Rita runs away. | (-) | |
| 29 | Valentine-Joseph
Rita Missing |
Valentine returns to Joseph’s to find Rita. | (-)
(+) |
|
| 30 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph gives Rita to Valentine. Valentine asks why Joseph is still alive.
< Joseph abandones dog |
(-) | |
| 31 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph doesn’t return with the change. Valentine ventures inside the house. | (-) | |
| 32 | Joseph Trial
INCITING INCIDENT |
Valentine finds out Joseph’s eavesdropping. Valentine hears about neighbor’s male lover. | ||
| 33 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph provokes Valentine to go tell the neighbor. | (-) | |
| 34 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentines goes to the neighbor. Valentine finds that the husband’s daughter is listening. Valentine does not tell the husband of Joseph’s spying. | (-) | |
| 35 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Auguste drops off Karin. | (-) | Joseph watches Valentine’s return behind his window. |
| 36 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks if Valentine told the neighbor. Valentine asks Joseph to stop, Joseph says it’s a life long habit. | (-) | Joseph spills tea (desire / impotence). |
| 37 | Joseph-Auguste | Valentine finds out Joseph was a judge. | (-) | |
| 38 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph invites Valentine to pull his suspender. Valentine refuses. | (-) | |
| 39 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine the lives of the neighbore was ruined the moment the affair started. | (-) | Joseph seems to be omnipotent. |
| 40 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks Valentine who the drug addict is. Valentine tells him it’s her brother. | (-) | |
| 41 | Valentine-Joseph
Joseph Trial |
Joseph and Valentine hear Auguste and Karin. Valentine shuts her ears. | (-)
(-) |
|
| 42 | Joseph-Auguste | Auguste decides with a coin toss whether to study or go bowling. | (-) | Joseph also tosses a coin. |
| 43 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks Valentine if she thinks he is a bastard. Valentine says yes. | (-) | |
| 44 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine of heroine boss. Valentine tells boss he should die.
> Joseph uses his life long pen |
(-) | Valentine wonders what she has done. Joseph hands her the phone number. She doesn’t refuse. |
| 45 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph shows her a conversation between a mother and a daughter. Highlighting problems from Valentine’s life. | (-) | |
| 46 | Valentine-Joseph
TURNING POINT |
Joseph attacks Valentine’s need to help people as selfish. Joseph tells Valentine she can’t help the mother. | (-) | |
| 47 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph he is wrong about people, that they aren’t inherently bad. Joseph says she is right. | (-) | Valentine gets to Joseph with her conviction. |
| 48 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks who the drug addict is.
< Valentine doesn’t answer this time |
(-) | Joseph is prying. |
| 49 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine says she can only feel pity for Joseph. Valentine leaves. | (-) | |
| 50 | Valentine-Joseph
Rita Missing |
Valentine tells Joseph Rita is pregnant. | (+)
(-) |
Joseph is affected by Rita. |
| 51 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine cries on the way home. | (-) | |
| 52 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Auguste phone ringing | (+) | |
| 53 | Auguste-Karin | Auguste missed his call. Auguste gets busy signal trying to call Karin. | (-) | |
| 54 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine calls her mom to check if she knows about her brother. Marc says he can’t stand being with their mom. | (-) | |
| 55 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine wants Michel to call. He doesn’t. The photographer calls for bowling. | (-) | |
| 56 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Bowling alley track to left. | (-) | |
| 57 | Auguste-Karin
TURNING POINT |
Auguste was stood up by Karin. | (-) | |
| 58 | Joseph Trial
TURNING POINT |
Joseph writes letters to neighbors explaining he was eavesdropping.
> pen out of ink |
(-) | Impotence – pen. |
| 59 | Joseph Trial | Surveillance truck combs neighborhood area for surveillance equipment. | (-) | |
| 60 | Valentine-Auguste | Auguste sees picture of Valentine.
< stop sign / red-green |
(+) | |
| 61 | Valentine-Michel
CLIMAX |
Valentine’s door is jammed by a prank. She misses Michel’s call. Michel refuses to comfort Valentine. Valentine refuses to take abuse from Michel. | (-) | |
| 62 | Auguste-Karin
Joseph-Auguste |
Auguste passes penal exam to be judge. Karin gives pen gift to Auguste.
> dropped page of book helped > pen gift |
(+)
(-) |
Auguste – Joseph pen out of ink. |
| 63 | Joseph Trial
CLIMAX |
Joseph is taken to court by his neighbors. | (-) | |
| 64 | Auguste-Karin
INCITING INCIDENT |
Karin meets someone new at Joseph’s trial. | (-) | |
| 65 | Valentine-Auguste | Valentine listens to sad sad symphony. Just misses buying the last copy.
> symphony by Mayer |
(-) | |
| 66 | Valentine-Auguste | Auguste and Karin listen to music together. | (-) | |
| 67 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine finds out from newspaper about Joseph’s trial. | (-) | Valentine is afraid Joseph thinks she told on him. |
| 68 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph she didn’t do it. | (+) | |
| 69 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine he did it himself to see what she would do. | (+) | Testing (goes through provoking, judging, testing, understanding, sharing) |
| 70 | Rita Missing
CLIMAX |
Valentine sees the 7 puppies.
< 7 lives |
(+) | |
| 71 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph offers Valentine pear brandy to celebrate Rita. | ||
| 72 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine asks if Joseph expects something from her. Joseph replies yes and that he realized it was disgust, not pity, that Valentine felt. | (+) | |
| 73 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks Valentine to sit down. Joseph asks Valentine to smile for him. She does. | (+) | Sitting down brings them much closer. |
| 74 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine she cried leaving last time. Valentine confirms. Joseph learns Valentine went bowling. | (+) | |
| 75 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine Auguste and Karin are almost over. Valentine asks if he provoked it. He says they met because of his trial. | (-) | |
| 76 | Auguste-Karin | Auguste gets the busy signal trying to call Karin.
> busy signal |
(-) | |
| 77 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph about her brother’s visit to their mother. | (+) | |
| 78 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine tells Joseph she is going to England in a week. | (+) | |
| 79 | Valentine-Joseph
TURNING POINT |
Valentine tells Joseph she feels bad about abandoning her family. Joseph says its her destiny to go. Joseph affirms her being. | Light changes in the scene. | |
| 80 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks Valentine to take the ferry. Valentine agrees. < ferry |
(+) | |
| 81 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine it is his birthday. Valentine celebrates. | (+) | |
| 82 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine 35 years ago he acquitted a guilty man. | (+) | Joseph changes light bulb. |
| 83 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph he saved a life. Joseph tells Valentine he regrets being a judge. Valentine says she hopes there are still judges like him around. | (+) | |
| 84 | Joseph Trial
RESOLUTION |
A rock breaks Joseph’s window.
< 6th rock |
(-) | Joseph is increasingly connected to life beyond the glass that is shattered. |
| 85 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine asks if Joseph is afraid. Joseph says he understands their point of view. | (+) | |
| 86 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine asks if there is someone Joseph loves. Joseph says no. Valentine asks if he ever did. Joseph says he dreamed her happiness when she was older. Valentine asks if his dreams come true, Joseph says he hasn’t dreamed about good in years. | (+) | |
| 87 | Auguste-Karin | Auguste gets busy signal from Karin. Goes to visit her. Joseph sees Auguste visit.
> 3 cherries |
(-) | |
| 88 | Auguste-Karin
CLIMAX |
Auguste find Karin cheating on him. | (-) | |
| 89 | Joseph-Auguste | Auguste leaves car light on.
< batteries |
(-) | Battery, light |
| 90 | Valentine-Michel | Valentine asks if Michel if he loves her. Michel says thinks so. | (-) | |
| 91 | Valentine-Auguste | TRANSITION SHOT Auguste leaves car to goto apartment. We watch from Valentine’s window. | (-) | |
| 92 | Joseph-Auguste | Auguste takes his anger out on dog. | (-) | |
| 93 | Valentine-Auguste | Valentine watches car battery dies.
< car battery |
(+) | |
| 94 | Auguste-Karin
RESOLUTION |
Auguste spies on Karin and boyfriend. Karin chases Auguste, he hides.
> pen |
(-) | Light – Auguste only sees his own image. |
| 95 | Auguste-Karin
RESOLUTION |
Joseph makes a phone call to Karin. He asks about the weather over the English Chanel. Learns that Karin will be traveling.
< weather forecast |
(-) | |
| 96 | Joseph-Auguste | Auguste tries to leave dog. | (-) | Connect with Joseph through his abandoning Rita. |
| 97 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine gets fashion show to send Joseph an invitation.
> smiling on the runway |
(+) | |
| 98 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph gets his car to go to the fashion show. | (+) | |
| 99 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph sees Ad with Valentine on it.
> Ad banner |
(+) | |
| 100 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine looks for Joseph at the fashion show but doesn’t find him. | (-) | |
| 101 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph she is leaving tomorrow. | (-) | |
| 102 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine asks the judge to tell her the dream he had in detail. Valentine wants to know if she is happy and if she is alone. Joseph assures Valentine that she is happy at old age. | (+) | Joseph understands Valentine. Valentine gets support from Joseph. |
| 103 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine is afraid, feels something important is happening to her. Joseph comforts her by taking her hand. | (+) | |
| 104 | Joseph-Auguste | Joseph tells Valentine about his falling book.
> Auguste book |
(-) | |
| 105 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine says leaving the house did Joseph good. Joseph says he had to recharge the battery.
> battery |
(+) | |
| 106 | Valentine-Joseph | Storm brews, crashes window. Valentine closes the doors.
> rock through window |
(+) | Valentine is active. |
| 107 | Valentine-Joseph
Joseph-Auguste |
Valentine asks why Joseph mentioned the sailor he acquitted. She tells him it’s because he didn’t want to talk about his love.
> Valentine cracks glass (bowling alley) |
(+)
(-) |
|
| 108 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine tells Joseph he is bitter because he does not know why he was betrayed.
> Auguste |
(-) | Valentine understands Joseph. |
| 109 | Joseph-Auguste | Joseph tells Valentine about his love and her betrayal to another man who could give her what she wanted. | (-) | |
| 110 | Joseph-Auguste | Joseph tells Valentine he was humiliated. | (-) | |
| 111 | Joseph-Auguste | Joseph tells Valentine he followed his love and her man until she was killed in an accident. | (-) | |
| 112 | Valentine-Joseph
CLIMAX |
Joseph tells Valentine he never loved again. He stopped believing. He tells Valentine she might be the woman he never met. | (+) | |
| 113 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph tells Valentine that he then faced giving a verdict to the man his love ran away with. He asked for early retirement after giving the guilty verdict. | (+) | |
| 114 | Valentine-Joseph | They are interrupted by theater worker who finds a woman to help her lift a bucket of water. | (-) | Concrete enactment of fraternity. |
| 115 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph gives Valentine a gift of pear brandy. | (+) | |
| 116 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine asks if she can have one of the puppies when she returns. | (+) | |
| 117 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks if the fashion show will be on TV. Valentine offers her TV to be delivered by her brother. | (+) | |
| 118 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph asks to see Valentine’s ferry ticket and her seat number.
? why see her seat number |
(+) | |
| 119 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine puts her hand up to the glass. | (+) | Glass – allows contact and keeps our distance. |
| 120 | Valentine-Joseph | Valentine helps a stranger old lady. | (+) | Valentine – kindness of stranger. |
| 121 | Valentine-Auguste | Valentine boards ferry. Auguste boards ferry. They keep almost meeting.
> Auguste has dog back ? Did Joseph get Auguste to go on ferry |
(+) | |
| 122 | EXPOSITION Ferry departs. We watch through slit. Valentine’s Ad is taken down as the storm begins. Glass blown over at Joseph’s.
> weather report wrong < Valentine Ad down (compensatory) |
|||
| 123 | Rita Missing
RESOLUTION |
Joseph picks bravest puppy to offer to Valentine. | (+) | |
| 124 | Valentine-Michel
RESOLUTION |
Joseph learns through newspaper of ferry accident and 7 survivors.
> 7 survivors |
(-) | |
| 125 | Joseph-Auguste | Joseph learns yacht drowned.
> Karin + boyfriend |
(-) | |
| 126 | Valentine-Joseph | Joseph sees the survivors. One of them is Valentine.
> TV from Valentine |
(+) | |
| 127 | Valentine-Auguste
CLIMAX Joseph-Auguste CLIMAX |
Valentine meets Auguste. | (+)
(+) |
Fate is preordained. |
| 128 | Valentine-Joseph
RESOLUTION |
Joseph looks out through cracked window, tear rolling down his face. | Valentine receives second chance at life and love. |
