Elise: First Czech Movie

The main character in our film obviously did not have a good relationship with his wife. Their conversations were lacking, and he in particular didn't put forth effort into improving their relationship. The thing that caught my attention throughout the film, however, was that he was a very amiable and outgoing man to everyone else. He was very romantic and flirtatious with the other school teachers, and kind and thoughtful to the older woman at the store. He took time to care for his daughter, and was very sweet and playful with his grandson. He put forth effort to meet with others in the film, and even bought flowers and wine for his teacher friend. So although he didn't give attention or energy to his wife, you knew he was capable of being romantic and thoughtful. I think his good-humored nature was actually stressed in the film, so they contrast between his life outside and inside the home was obvious. 

The movie begins with him quitting his teaching job, which he really didn't enjoy. He then begins a search for better things... for new stimulation in his life. He tries different jobs, and even attempts to try a different woman. (It amazed me how he could see the devastation his son-in-law caused his daughter by cheating on her and then leaving, but still try to do the same thing to his wife. And not only that, but he welcomed his son-in-law and treated the situation lightly!) What the movie shows is that people are essentially different than things... as are the I-Thou and I-It relationships. Developing relationships with people is different than investing in a career. The main character wasn't satisfied with his life, and thought that changing both the "things" and the people in his life would help. But he couldn't change the people in his life like he could change his job. Thou is not able to be manipulated like It. And in the end, his wife didn't need to be changed. Their relationship was not beyond mending, he just needed to remember their past and be confronted with her dancing with another man... yeah. Maybe he realized that she was not an It that he could control and that would stay stagnant. She was a moving person herself and he couldn't just do as he pleased while expecting her to stay the same. So in a way, he had grown to view his wife as an "It" and not until he began to see her as a "Thou" like the other people he interacted with did things change. (Keeping in mind that to a degree, none of his relationships were Thou at all...)