Un coeur simple (2008)

Following a romantic disappointment, Félicité offers her services to Aubain, a widow with two young children. Hired to do the housework, feed, dress, and look after the little boy and girl, she grows deeply attached to them. Félicité also looks after her young nephew every Sunday. She is fond of him, and he returns her affection; he has a red parrot named Loulou. But Aubain is very cold and haughty, and despite the affection her daughter Clémence feels for Félicité—who in effect takes the place of her awkward mother, unable to show emotion—Aubain makes no secret of her contempt for Félicité, a “simple heart.” Aubain later has an affair with her music teacher that comes to nothing, and realizes that she is alone. Meanwhile, the children grow up. Félicité’s nephew joins the navy and dies of typhus soon afterward, leaving his aunt devastated. His death is soon followed by Clémence’s untimely death. Too late, Aubain realizes the depth of her love for her daughter and feels guilty for not having taken her south for treatment, where the climate would have benefited her. Finally, overwhelmed by these two successive deaths, Félicité is granted the honor by Aubain of being the only one allowed to keep vigil beside her daughter. Aubain herself never recovers from the death, and takes to using laudanum. When she nearly faints at the foot of her daughter’s grave, Félicité takes her in her arms, and the two embrace in profound anguish. This somewhat simple-minded but big-hearted servant eventually succeeds in winning Aubain’s friendship and softening her harshness. It is through this friendship that the two women grow old together, living simply and humbly. Unfortunately, Aubain dies in her turn, and so does Félicité’s parrot. The servant has it stuffed, then descends into madness and dies in her turn, alone.