Let’s take a moment to appreciate how Armand, no matter if he is dressed up or dressed down, is often so visually well matched to his surroundings that he almost disappears against the background, like a chameleon. He adapts to any situation or role he finds himself in, and influences everyone and everything around him with his presence.
It’s especially noticeable in the San Francisco apartment — clothes, eyes, skin tone, furniture, wallpaper, newspaper covered windows, and Daniel. Armand takes up so much mental space in that place that it oozes of him. He dictates everything happening there.
And then sometimes, often when he wants or needs something outside of his current professional or public role, he will flare up and sparkle a bit, attracting attention in a calculated way. Black suit with white shirt and shiny patent shoes when he welcomes Louis and Claudia to the theatre, orange vest and pocket square — perfectly matching his eyes — when he and Louis are in the bar talking to Sartre, the all whiteish outfit when he enters Louis’ apartment without knocking, purple or crisp white shirt when he needs something from Daniel in Dubai, and so on.
The writing is phenomenal, as are the actors, but there should be awards thrown at everyone involved in cinematography and mise-en-scène.
