Blaise Pascal

Possibly the most beautiful of Rossellini's "history" films, now available on DVD, and most welcome. The subject matter might seem more likely for Bresson -- the religious and intellectual trials of a 17th century Jansenist -- and indeed this film feels quite Bressonian. With the enormous and unexpected success of "La prise de pouvoir par Louis XIV," Rossellini seems to have discovered a way to make historical films that are at once sober and informative yet at the same time intriguing as dramas of internal conflict and growth. "Blaise Pascal" is probably his most austere film (though visually sumptuous), its external conflict consisting of little more than the vain efforts of Pascal's family to keep him from overwork. And yet one becomes deeply involved in Pascal's conflicts. I saw this wonderful picture shortly after it came out (at the MOMA in New York) and it made a profound impression. I am happy to say that my evergreen memory was not in the least tarnished by a re-viewing.

This film looks really good, if rather overstuffed with the supporting cast and multiple historical props. Think The Three Musketeers or The Flashing Blade. The film is also good at evoking the darker side of the period - superstition, illness and premature death. The familial issues aren't terribly gripping unless you are a real Pascal fan. Some illustrations of Pascal's scientific methods are of interest. Of perhaps less interest to most are the theological and philosophical expositions. In fact, it can be hard sustaining one's attention through the entire 2 and a 1/4 hours. General criticism is that the film lacks historical detail about the wider issues while failing to develop real drama about the personal story. I'd go along with this. Overall, looks good, even too good, but you might need to draw on your reserves to maintain concentration.

Okay we don't want an encyclopedic knowing for its sake, this was a point in Rossellini's previous film on Socrates. We want to swoop into things to find limits worth pushing against; the difficulties of truth, touch, clarity.

This is Rossellini's own roundabout approach. He sets up historic times in collapse so that we'll draw up a response, see it in effect. They're more than about ideas and history, though these are center stage. They're about men trying to embody ideas, make life out of them, practice reason rather than explain about it.

Here we have a man of powerful reason, a mathematician, who turns to god as the only refuge from meaningless existence. (We think these to be strange bedfellows, reason and faith, they're not for Rossellini. They were no more separate for scientists of the era; it's actually at around this time, the 1600s, that they begin to part ways. It was subsequent generations that posited a clockwork universe without a clockmaker. Suffice to say that science can't say anything about god; what did become obvious was books that could no longer be seen as more than myth and metaphor and a hypocritical hierarchy in charge.)

This is all in a late medieval world where someone can arrive at a remote place and with a document at hand, the King's orders, simply assume authority and (unfairly) tax people, where the witch trial of an obviously disturbed woman is sped up to facilitate business.

These are the limits of world then: one that is both stable enough and deeply irrational, much like our own then, where man can employ reason to make astonishing discovery about nature, and yet find reason incapable to explain beyond itself. Oh Pascal has to fight ignorance and prejudice but this can be waved off as a temporary setback; the real vexing question is what does it all amount to?

The discovery that prompts the inner turmoil is the vacuum, this is contrary to the old Greek notion then hallowed by tradition in the universities that nature (by extension god) abhors one. The implication (not very well conveyed in the experiment) is that something exists which is an absence of something and why would god (by extension nature) do this?

The question is how do we handle void in a larger sense? The inability to know all, spontaneity, transience, the corners that hide from reflection. This is the kind of stuff I'm trying to fathom myself. Now I'm a stranger to Pascal so can't say more about his own view. Having god in the thing may alienate viewers, the soulsearch and doubt will be familiar; we see here the onset of the suffering of modern man.

Rossellini knew what he was doing. By choosing this man for his subject and choosing to show him in this light, he seems to ask: what good is a god that is merely postponed for a next life, that doesn't ease the mind so that this life becomes clear? (compare with Augustine's faith here). Pascal isn't content and one gets the sense that god is no more soothing for him than his own discoveries.

At one point he comes up with an idea for an early system of public transport, effortlessly jots down the plans, it's a success, people congratulate him; unlike his private ruminations, here's a practical response that makes life better for people; and yet he seems neither happy nor particularly interested, it was no more than a pastime for him, insignificant compared to the great questions.

But what good is a life that isn't replenished in doing?

Still there is a notion that if only we could know everything, that would explain life. Rossellini picks this up in his Cartesius, even more subtle than here.

After reached at stardom as one's most important Italian filmmaker in forties & fifties Rossellini at final phase became somewhat a biographic director on several heralds from the past whether it's on philosophical study, religious men or science field, among Socrates, Agostino d'Ippona, even the early Francesco, Descartes and Blaise Pascal that certainly is lesser unknown of the previous ones, so it came to enlighten this iconic French persona that for unclear reasons flew under the radar of large majority of the historic enthusiasts like me.

The movie spanning since Blaise Pascal teenager years until his death with meager 39 years old, he has been schooled by his own father as taxes collector in Rouen, France, Pascal is regarded as premature genius in mathematics, physic, philosopher upon Jansenism and wiser inventor of the first embryonic mechanical calculator and the first public transportation system at Paris, therefore his name deserves recognition for the mankind mainly by him addressed to poorest people all financial gains of their technical legacy.

However Rossellini points out at its immutable faith on God and its creation as perishable being, against the Descartes mindset, actually Rossellini inserts in the narrative the historic meeting of duo giants concerning their beliefs in several issues, also exposes Pascal extremaly unhealthy, without forget their evidenced studies on vacuum, atmosphere pressure and fluid dynamics among others minors issues, overall Blaise Pascal shall be on the pantheon of the greatest men of entire mankind.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2025 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.

Blaise Pascal struggles to understand the natural world around him, in addition to an inner quest for religious faith.

When you say "made for TV", that general gives the impression it will be of a lower quality. At least traditionally; today's television is on par with the cinema. Now, "Blaise Pascal" is different, because this is high-quality and directed by Roberto Rossellini. Wow.

Pascal is an interesting person to make a film about, because he was hugely influential in religion and science... but today seems more or less forgotten. He had a programming language named for him that no one uses anymore. And he is featured in philosophy classes for his "wager", though the logic behind it is flawed. Who today has read his "Pensees"?