Ophuls characterizes Lisa (Letter From an Unknown Woman), as a representative of the petit bourgeoisie, as blind to the working class, just as she is to all the other parts of society that she cannot accept. She takes no notice of the proprietor and his wife of the railway at the Prater, and is oblivious to the women in the orchestra who play while Lisa and Stefan waltz. It is almost as if the working class does not fit into her fantasy. Either she does not believe that there should be class distinctions or she does not want to accept societal order. Despite being in a higher class, if Lisa does not marry, she will sink to the working class, the disadvantaged; and she does. It seems that Lisa ignores Stefan’s manservant John because she mirrors him in her silence and in the servile role women play in her society.
The Disadvantaged are Mute
John is in some respects the male echo of Lisa. They are both mute; he as a genuine mute and Lisa as a disempowered woman. Women, at that time, were mute objects of desire; they had no voice in public and civil rights. Stefan appears to need their help; he expresses to Lisa echoing sentiments, “John makes life possible for a hopelessly single man” and “You may be able to help me someday”. John has no hope for freedom, just like Lisa. Perhaps John recognizes her desires for a better life because he shares them. John is aware of Lisa in a way that Stefan never could be. Stefan, having an aristocratic background, has no comprehension of the suffering of John or Lisa. Thus, it is not surprising that John remembers her and knows her name. Perhaps he even respected her aspirations for a better life.
Other Ophuls Films about the Disempowered
In Caught and Madame de…, a woman’s silence, that is obedience and disempowerment, is reiterated. In her first argument with Smith (Caught), Leonora yells, “Look at what you bought!” and his calm retort is “Don’t scream”. Smith has no interest in what Leonora is trying to communicate and denies her sincere approaches about loving him. For Smith, it is essential that Leonora is obedient and plays her role as hostess properly; that is in silence. In contrast Andre (Madame de...) employs a different technique with Louise, “don’t try to escape into a world of silence,” he requests, after he has abused her so much that she lies in bed emotionally devastated and in darkness. Most poignantly, Louise tells Donati, “It’s when we have most to say that we are silent”, which clearly expresses the plight of women at that time, Louise wishes she could say more, or at least something.
Ophuls' Mute Servants
Servants share women’s silence in Ophuls’ films. Sadly enough, though the servants are aware of their women’s plight, the women silence them. In Letter, Lisa does not pay any attention to John, despite his warmth and acceptance of her. For example, the day that Lisa first visited Stefan’s apartment; once aware of John, Lisa ran out of the apartment and John looked after her kindly without antagonism. In Reckless Moment (Wood also mention this, 1998, 208), despite attempts to reach out to Lucia, Sybil is constantly rejected by Lucia. Not until Donnelly’s car accident, does Lucia actually let Sybil drive the car.
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