Line #0 Film/Diva


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/diva_1981_1348.jpg]]
2
3	->''"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."''
4	-->-- '''Jules'''
5
6	''Diva'' is a 1981 film directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, based on a novel by Delacorta.
7
8	The film's hero, Jules, is a postman. He is a fan of American opera diva Cynthia Hawkins, who has never allowed herself to be recorded. He sneaks a recorder into one of her performances and makes a high-quality bootleg tape, which becomes one of the two [[MacGuffin MacGuffins]] driving the plot as Taiwanese gangsters try to buy it for the purposes of releasing an unauthorized record. The other MacGuffin is a cassette tape of a confession by a soon-to-be-dead prostitute in which she implicates Saporta, a high-ranking police official, in an organized crime ring. Two different gangs are after him as they confuse one tape for the other. Meanwhile, Jules becomes friends with Gorodish, a middle-aged, bohemian man of mystery, and Alba, his companion. A memorable chase scene takes place in the Paris Metro. Jules meets Cynthia Hawkins, the object of his [[LoonyFan Loony Fandom]] and, after she gets over her initial shock and anger, she becomes attracted to him and romance ensues.
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10	----
11	!!This film provides examples of:
12	* BaldOfEvil: Le Curé.
13	* {{Blackmail}}:
14	** The Taiwanese gangsters tell Cynthia that they have the bootleg recording of her performance of "Ebben? Ne andrò lontana" from Catalani's ''La Wally'' (they don't really, but she doesn't know this), and that if she doesn't agree to sign a recording contract with them, they'll release the bootleg as an "official" recording.
15	** When Gorodish gets hold of the tape of Nadia's testimony against [[spoiler:Saporta]], he tells the latter he will make the tape's contents public unless he is paid off.
16	* BunnyEarsLawyer: Gorodish. He wears a snorkeling mask while cooking; his only furniture appears to be a stereo system and a kinetic sculpture that mimics ocean waves. He is also a CrazyPrepared strategist (see TheChessmaster) with a working knowledge of opera, organized crime, petty crime, etc., etc.
17	* CatchPhrase: "Je n'aime pas ... " ("I don't like ..."), Le Curé. Lampshaded when Zatopek says, "You don't like anything."
18	* ChaseScene: MobstacleCourse turns into a TrainEscape on the Paris Metro in what is probably the most memorable movie chase since ''Film/TheFrenchConnection''.
19	* TheChessmaster: Gorodish is one of these as he plays the two gangs off against each other. Subverted because Gorodish is on the side of the hero.
20	* CompositeCharacter: In the novel, [[spoiler:Saporta]] is just a gangster who works with [[spoiler:DirtyCop Boulanger]], while in the movie, they're the same character.
21	* CoolCar: Gorodish's Citroën Traction Avant 11. [[spoiler:Times two; he allows Saporta to blow up one car while escaping in the other.]]
22	* CoolHouse:
23	** Gorodish's "country house" on the coast is a lighthouse. His city house is a vast warehouse space - Alba rollerskates through it while he kicks back in a tub out in the middle of the floor, smoking a cigar.
24	** Jules' place is in a dumpy industrial space, with a cool automotive mural and all the money invested in high-end stereo equipment.
25	* DirtyCop: [[spoiler:Saporta.]]
26	* DisposableSexWorker: Nadia, the prostitute who drops the cassette tape in Jules's mailbag, is killed by [[spoiler:Saporta's]] henchmen for identifying him as the head of the prostitution ring that employs her.
27	* FallingInLoveMontage: Jules and Cynthia, takes place in a single night rather than over a series of dates.
28	* TheFilmOfTheBook: Based on the novel by Delacorta, which is part of a series of novels involving Gorodish and Alba.
29	* ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacGuffin: Nadia the prostitute shoves the tape recording of her confession into Jules' bag seconds before Le Curé kills her.
30	* InstantSedation: Gorodish knocks out Le Curé with some sort of gas from a spray can.
31	* LoonyFan: Jules [[spoiler:not only steals Cynthia Hawkins's dress, but has a prostitute wear it while he has sex with her]]. Talk about creepy.
32	* MacGuffin: Times two; Jules' bootleg recording of Cynthia's concert, sought by the Taiwanese gangsters, and the audio recording of Nadia naming [[spoiler:Saporta]] as the kingpin of a drug trafficking and prostitution ring.
33	* ManicPixieDreamGirl: Played with a little bit. Alba is a chronic shoplifter. Jules first becomes attracted to her when he sees her steal from a record shop. After they start dating, she gives Jules a shoplifted Rolex.
34	* PoliceAreUseless: They achieve very little themselves. [[spoiler:And DaChief is corrupt.]]
35	* SmokingIsCool: Most of the major characters smoke. Gorodish in particular, arguably the "coolest" character, smokes like a chimney.
36	* StalkingIsLove: Cynthia Hawkins's eventual attraction to LoonyFan Jules.

Context Film / Diva