Le Mepris and Commodity

If Horkheimer, Adorno and Jameson are in a conversation about mass culture and its place within the larger scheme of things, Le Mepris as a film takes up these issues and discusses them within itself. Le Mepris particularly examines the concept of commoditization within high and low art.
About thirty minutes into the film, Camille begins to detest her husband Paul. Though she never comes directly out with the reasoning behind her sudden change, she implies it is because of his new film project; adapting Ulysses into a more commercial film. She says that she preferred when he wrote crime novels even though they had little money. Perhaps Paul and Camille's marriage would have been saved if she had read Jameson. As he notes, through instrumentalization and commoditization, high and low culture become similar in the fact that they are both consumed. So just as Paul's crime novels and plays were consumed so are his films. Neither one is deemed better or worse. In fact, Jameson pontificates that perhaps it is more telling to study mass culture since it speaks more to the social language and discourse than more classic forms. This concept can also be seen in the film as it surrounds the adaptation of Ulysses, a definite example of high art, into a commercialized film.
The inclusion of the American film producer, Prokosch, with his flashy sports car, womanizing ways and strongly worded opinions represents the industry and commoditization of art as a product. He is not involved with creating the art but rather shaping the finished product. In the scene where they are watching the dailies, he is quick to note that, though he enjoys the nudity, it may be a problem when attempting to sell the movie to theaters. Also, it is after being left alone with Prokosch and his ego that Camille feels uncontrollable contempt toward her husband.
There are some oddities with Camille and her feelings toward low culture. She has no issue being nude throughout the majority of the film, including sunbathing and swimming in public though she hates the film which heavily features female nudity. Also, these instances contradict Paul’s notion that only woman on film are nude. Similarly, though she feels great dislike toward Paul and his entry into the commercial art world, Camille kisses and leaves her husband with Prokosch, who represents the commercialization of art. Though it is difficult to reconcile perhaps this can relate to Jameson. Whereas he feels that there is a blurring between high and low culture, Camille, and what she represents, may disagree and feel repulsed by this phenomenon. Paul began in high art and transitioned to low art during the film, representing this ambiguous area between cultures. Camille may appreciate both types but she wishes them to remain separate entities.
Le Mepris as well as the two text show that there is a push and pull between art cultures in this world of mass reproduction and film. Though no definitive answers are shown in Le Mepris (i.e. Camille escapes but is soon dead and Paul is alive but very unhappy), the conversation and discourse comes to the forefront to show the importance and continuation of the controversy surrounding these issues.