Stranger By The Lake

Synopsis: It is mid-summer and Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps ) uses the holiday season to frequent a popular cruising spot for gay men beside a tranquil lake. Although he is attracted to Michel (Christophe Paou) one evening he witnesses him drowning one of the men.  What should he do?

Stranger By The Lake is a film of gays by gays for gays. If you’re not of that stripe or have no special interest in homosexuality this probably won’t be the film for you. Despite the fact that the oft-used expression “Hitchcockian thriller” (I resist the temptation to make an obvious joke) has been used in connection with it, take out the gay content and you’re left with very little. Unlike related films such as Oliver Hermanus’s Beauty the film has no socio-political dimension. Indeed director Alain Guiraudie keeps the lakeside meeting place as his entire canvas and deliberately marginalizes the murder and its investigation in favour of his primary concern, which is an almost anthropological depiction of the men’s behaviour.

There is however a discernible ambiguity in the film’s perspective.  Despite the fact of its status as a “gay” film there is, if not a homophobic tendency, then certainly a suggestion of decadence and corruption. The murder, which most people would regard as definite mood deflator is used to demonstrate that the men value only one thing - the irresistible pursuit of their “jouissance”.  Despite the death of one of their own and the implications that it holds they scurry from bush to bush coupling feverishly (a slight air of ridiculousness is never far from proceedings, but that is perhaps just me), then adjourning to a local bar for drinks.  Not only is Franck willing to protect the murderer but the latter carries on apparently unperturbed. As for the supposed investigating detective, the less said the better. No explanation for Michel's act is given but he appears to be either a homophobe or someone who has crossed the line in his unquenchable search for sexual gratification (the film's French title L'lnconnu Du Lac has a connotation of "the unknown" which has been lost in English).

The film has been rapturously received critically overseas (it was an entry in the Un Certain Regard section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival) but this is largely because it satisfies a nexus of “avant garde” criteria that will appeal to fans of French cultural theory (it’s no surprise that the writer-director cites the work of Georges Bataille as one of his influences) - it a) addresses “transgressive” behaviour; it is b) sexually candid yet c) “cool” in its stylish wide-screen presentation.  At least a) and b) however could equally be said of an exploitation film so ultimately the critical praise for the film relies on c).

Guiraudie does introduce one leavening device, that of the character of Henri (Patrick d'Assumçao), an overweight, unappealing middle-aged man who sits lakeside and watches the activities of the men but does not participate and who Franck befriends.  It’s a rather implausible device that serves to insert some kind of commentary on proceedings but at least it does offer some variety in the otherwise relentless quest for cock. Whether explicit sex in any film is desirable or not is an arguable point but certainly here it is well-justified, indeed, essential. Which takes me back to my opening statement - Stranger By The Lake has intentionally limited appeal.  

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