Encyclopedia Of Male Psychology - The Smell Of A Woman Film Through The Eyes Of A Psychologist - Relationships, Reviews

I first saw "The Smell of a Woman" more than fifteen years ago, and even then it was clear that this film was "an encyclopedia of male psychology." The main character of the picture, Colonel Frank Slade, making a "farewell tour of pleasures", involuntarily acquaints Charlie's student with the way of life, which he is ready to give up for the sake of principles. Women who are interested in the psychology of men will pay attention to the talented image of a "real military man", learn about his weaknesses, the secret of charm, attitude towards invariably attractive persons of the opposite sex and constant readiness for new meetings.

Scent of a Woman, 1992 Directed by Martin Brest, starring Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell

WOMEN, AND THEN - "FERRARI"

The first charm, of course, was the image of the blind Colonel Frank Slade, brilliantly performed by Al Pacino. The colonel did not fit into the stereotyped ranks of Hollywood "war heroes", but he could well claim to be a talented generalized international image of a "real military man" - contradictory, with all the weaknesses inherent in this type of people, from the soldier's rudeness in dealing with others to the habit of heavy drinking.

Of course, the most instructive was the colonel's attitude to women, not typical for people who communicate exclusively with easily accessible representatives of the fair half of humanity. His "mischievous stories" at his brother's festive table only confirm this fact. But he is still an esthete of seduction, and his weapon, unlike many noteworthy ladies' men, is not in vulgar talkativeness and narcissism, but in his initial indomitable interest in a woman and admiration for her. A woman is everything to him! After all, what in the usual sense is called "will not miss a single skirt", in our case - a very rare property: a constant readiness to meet with a Woman. At the moment of this very meeting, he instantly transforms - wherever the rude soldier goes, and where does the gallant gentleman appear from. Moreover, this is not a "professional mask" of the seducer,but a real attitude towards anyone, from a maid and a prostitute to a political science teacher. Suffice it to recall his enthusiastic assessment of the prostitute after the visit: "What a woman!"

The blind colonel gains access to a woman through a unique awareness of perfumery. It is the knowledge of aromas that allows him to instantly reduce the distance of communication, stunning the lady on the fly by revealing one of her intimate secrets. So through the smell, in the full sense of the word, he immediately gets "access to the body."

But the image of the colonel would not have been so attractive if his "authenticity" was based only on the specifics of his occupations. In this case, he would be like any other professionally deformed character. The colonel, on the other hand, is a bearer of a certain worldview, one can recall his rude maxims “if in doubt, fuck”, addressed to your own cat, and arguments that between the legs of a woman, regardless of their curvature, is the gateway to heaven.

The secret of the colonel's charm is that he is alive. He is from that rare breed of people today who live not just "without looking back", but deliberately maintain the maximum level of stress in their lives. No wonder one of the main scenes of the film is the confrontation between the colonel and his nephew, who adheres exactly to the philosophy of a prosperous man in the street. She, as the finale of the family dinner shows, is good only until the "first shot" (in our case, to hand-to-hand combat of a blind uncle with an insolent relative).

The Colonel is by no means a "lover of extreme sports", he did not jump from a "bungee", did not climb mountains or jump with a parachute, he defended his homeland. For him, risk is a habitual "working" state. The flip side of which is drunkenness, recklessness and "playing with death", which, by the way, became the reason for the colonel's disability. It is not for nothing that “Russian roulette” and “through the kerchief” duels have always been so popular in the officers' circles.

WHEN YOU WANT TO LEAVE

Later, when I had to work as a psychologist for some time, I began to turn my attention now to a different plot line.

After all, what's going on? We find the main characters - a student of the Byrd school Charlie Simps at the moment of testing the strength of his value system, and the colonel - during the complete collapse of this very system, coupled with the loss of the meaning of life, that is, we observe a typically suicidal crisis.

I do not know who helped write the scene of the colonel's suicide, but this was done with an excellent knowledge of psychology, however, like the whole line of Frank Slade's suicidal behavior. I even advise my students to watch this scene as an example of what happens in the process of psychological "intervention" when working with suicides. In a situation of desperate "clinging" to life, even such, at first glance, "primitive" argumentation, such as the ability to dance tango well and drive a car, really works. I’ll tell you more - in such a state, any “clue” can become a saving argument “for” in the inner struggle that takes place in the consciousness of a person experiencing mental pain. In addition, Charlie, unknowingly, fulfills the main condition: not for a minute leaves one person who is trying to shine a suicide. As a result, without any psychological knowledge and life experience, he intuitively behaves extremely efficiently and correctly. Which, by the way, once again confirms another common truth: first of all, a suffering person needs the constant attention of others.

There is a widespread belief that a psychologist can provide professional help only when he himself has all the problems "worked out". But in the film, a meeting of two people in a crisis situation helps both characters to cope with them.

The Colonel and Charlie embody different philosophies in life: "He who hid well lived well" and "Better to drink blood once than eat carrion all his life." And both of them demand their victims. But, as it turns out, the greatest sacrifices are needed to be considered a decent person. And "die hard" Charlie Simps confirms his decency, accepting responsibility for the fate of a stranger.

Both heroes are able to sacrifice in the name of beliefs and ideals career, money, and their own well-being. It is this coincidence that brings them to the final episode, in which the colonel refuses to listen to Charles, because they have already reached that level of relationship that does not require gratitude, and any confessions turn out to be superfluous against the background of a saved life.