The account of a man's triumph over his physical condition to set free two of his most valuable assets remaining - his imagination and his memories - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tells the story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, former editor-in-chief of Elle magazine, who had suffered and miraculously survived a stroke that had "put his brain stem out of action".
Only 43 years old, Jean Do awoke after being in a coma for 3 weeks, to find himself a victim of "locked-in syndrome", whereby nearly his whole body was in a state of paralysis, safe for his left eye, which would become his only way of communicating with the rest of the world. Though dismayed at first, Jean Do eventually came to terms with his condition and even authored a book (of the same title) by "dictating" with his left eye. A publishing assistant took his dictation patiently, alphabet by alphabet, using a special code which his therapist came up with for communication purposes.
The movie begins with Jean Do's point of view, as if placing the viewer in his mind. Only after approximately 20 minutes does the camera pull out and lets us look at Jean Do objectively. Between flashbacks and fantasies we get to know Jean Do more intimately, of the endearing relationship he shared with his father and his children, and also of his greatest regrets. Despite a successful career, Jean Do felt that his life had been nothing but "a string of mistakes", which he likened to knowing the result of a race beforehand but failing to bet on the winner. The women he was unable to love and the moments of happiness he had let slip by.
Despite the sombre plot, the movie retains a sense of humour, by way of Jean Do's cheekiness and sharp wit. Teamed with stunning visuals, a fitting soundtrack, brilliant acting and a moving story, this film, breathtaking and inspiring, is a testament to the greatness and strength of the human spirit and should be watched by every one.
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I watched on YouTube Elliott Smith's performance during the 1997 (or was it 1998?) Oscars, where he first stepped into the limelight with "Miss Misery". It was such a nice and simple delivery. Him in a white suit and guitar, looking rather nervous. At the end of the abridged version (due to programme requirements), he took a bow.
