La place d’une autre (2021)

Directed by: Aurelia Georges | 112 minutes | drama | Actors: Lyna Khoudri, Sabine Azéma, Maud Wyler, Laurent Poitrenaux, Didier Brice, Lise Lamétrie, Olivier Broche, Marie Hattermann, Judith Leder, Jacques Bachelier, Ilario Gallo, Dominique Kling, Marie Seux

You don’t bite the hand that feeds you. This is an important life lesson from ‘La place d’une autre’ (2021, Aurélia Georges), a film inspired by Wilkie Collins’ 1879 novel “The New Magdalen”. Unlike the book, which is set in Victorian times The film is set in 1914, the beginning of the First World War. Nélie, played by Lyna Khoudri (‘The French Dispatch’, 2021) is a low-class woman. She has just been fired as a maid and is forced to live her life in prostitution without any prospects. When she ends up at the Red Cross as a result of the war, she is given the opportunity to change her life. She meets Rose (Maud Wyler), a woman of good descent whose father has just passed away. Rose is on her way to Eléonore (Sabine Azéma) to become her reading lady. But before Rose can leave, she is hit by a grenade and dies. Nélie sees her chance here to take over Rose’s identity in order to start a better life.

Nélie knows the hard side of life and knows that when good opportunities come along, you should not let them pass. In her new life, however, she is confronted with the consequences of her actions. She faces a moral dilemma that makes the viewer think about the fairness of life. To what extent is lying justified and what is the opposite? Although the film pays enough attention to this and really tries to portray Nélie, Rose and Eléneore as strong and profound characters, this is at the expense of a well-running narrative. It is not entirely clear how Nélie can adapt so easily in a higher class. The only skill she has learned is reading. It seems that that and putting on some nice clothes is the only thing that sets the classes apart.

Also, ‘La place d’une autre’ suggests some scenarios that are not confirmed. When Eléonore becomes unwell, Nélie’s work at the Red Cross comes in handy. Massip, the butler – wonderfully played by Didier Brice – enters the room when she performs a bloodletting. It seems that Nélie has betrayed herself, but Massip never goes back to this. Other servants also seem to notice her mask because Nélie likes to get her hands dirty, but also lets her empathy shine through to them. However, this remains in the background of the film, as if the servants allow her this lifestyle and therefore it deserves no further attention.

The class difference is a big theme of ‘La place d’une autre’. In addition, it has direct and indirect connections to Victor Hugo’s novel, “Les Miserables”, which is especially evident when Nélie lives in poverty. As in that novel, lying and cheating become her only means of survival. More importantly, the connection to the novel reinforces the timeless idea that your heritage determines a large part of your happiness. However, this film shows that happiness can be reversed when the opportunities that come along are seized. Because although there is a prejudice on class, in the end your personality is more important than your origin.