Continuing our journey of viewing the Decalogue
series, we reach Decalogue VI,
in which Kieslowski discusses the commandment "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Tomek is a nine-teen year
old orphan who lives with the mother of a friends and works at a local post
office. He has been observing and spying on Magda, a woman in her thirties.
Magda lives in the building right next to Tomek and he spies on her in the
evenings with his telescope. Tomek is always trying to find ways to see Magda.
He sends her false notices from the post office so she will have to come down
there. He calls her frequently when spying on her just to hear her voice. Even
when Magda has her boyfriend over her apartment, Tomek reports gas leaks to
ruin their evenings. Tomek eventually gets a job as a milk man just to see her.
Tomek eventually tells Magda he is spying on her and she first does not believe
it but sees that it is true and becomes angry. Tomek gets punched in the face
by Magda’s boyfriend because he was spying. The next day when replacing Magda’s
milk, Tomek claims to love Magda and wants nothing from her, but eventually
asks her out to a café for ice cream and she accepts. Tomek is very excited,
runs around outside with his milk cart with joy, and accidently bumps into this
mysterious man the reoccurs throughout the Decalogue series. “The
mystery character often appears in Decalogue
at important moments like this, where a choice can truly alter the
course of the future” (http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=5&id=716).
They go out for ice cream and talk and go back to Magda’s place. Magda claims
to show Tomek what love is really about and causes him to ejaculate early by
just placing his hand on her legs. Tomek runs out of her apartment and crosses
paths with the mystery man again. His view of love has now been altered and crushed
and he seems to want no part of it. Magda however sees that his love was
genuine and discovers a side of love that she hasn’t seen before. Magda wants
Tomek to come back but Tomek has slit his wrists. Magda’s feelings for Tomek
grow as she waits for his return from the hospital. Magda eventually runs into
Tomek at the post office again and Tomek tells her that he is no longer spying.
Viewing Decalogue VI made me see how altered the meaning of love has become in
society. Tomek and Magda really need to reflect on what it really means to love
someone because both of their views, whether it be spying on someone or just
engaging in sexual relations, were blinding them to see what it really is. Even
though the film does not deal with adultery relating to sexual relations with another’s
persons husband or wife, the film displays adultery in a way of lust, which was
evident throughout the film.
No comments:
Post a Comment