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Color in Life Lessons


Color in Life Lessons
By: Will Singer

 Many people have lofty dreams of what their dream jobs are when they’re kids. These kids dream of being rockstars, astronauts, artists, actors, basketball players and musicians, but very few are able to become their desired profession. At a certain age, these dreams may be replaced with more “realistic” goals. However, there are some who work hard to see their dreams fulfilled, and these are the people who dedicate themselves to their work.
Lionel Dobie, the main character in Martin Scorsese’s short film Life Lessons, is a hard working, successful and respected artist. Despite all of his talent and success, Dobie needs a muse to creatively fuel him and a woman named Paulette fills that role in the film. Paulette is an aspiring artist who constantly questions her abilities as a painter as opposed to Dobie who struggles to create art. He’s in love with her, but she doesn’t love him and threatens to leave due to her lack of talent. Through specific uses of color, Scorsese is able to show who belongs in the art world and who doesn’t.
The movie opens with shots of paints and paint brushes. After a few shots, the audience is introduced to Lionel Dobie, pacing back and forth, smoking a cigarette. His shirt is covered in paint, he bends down to grab a cup of wine that is covered in paint. As the scene goes on, we begin to realize that the whole apartment is covered in paint. He has a gold Rolex around his wrist that has paint on it. Dobie even steps on a tube of paint and squirts some at a pillar, further covering his apartment. From this, the audience easily understands that Dobie is a painter from the get-go. Shortly thereafter, Dobie leaves to pick Paulette up from the airport and convinces her to stay with him. A bit later, we get to see Paulette’s studio: a fairly clean space. The walls are white brick and the furniture is very clean. What little paint appears around the room seems to have a purpose for being there, neat and organized, no splatters of multiple colors like in Dobie’s studio. It serves to show us that, while it’s Paulette’s studio, Dobie technically owns the entire space, just as he reminds her in the film. Paulette, who constantly questions her abilities as an artist, doesn’t have paint splatters on any of her possessions because art isn’t her life. Dobie, on the contrary, is obsessed with painting. He’s never seen going out alone and when he does it’s with Paulette or to stalk her. Paulette has friends, is seen going out with them and has traveled. She has not dedicated her life to painting like Dobie has. Through this, Scorsese is able to explain that Paulette isn’t successful because she isn’t obsessed whereas Dobie is successful because he is.



Paint all over Dobie, his apartment and his possessions
Paulette's clean and furnished studio
About halfway through the film, Dobie and Paulette attend a birthday party together for artists and art collectors. Dobie wears a black and white tuxedo and Paulette wears a black dress with pink birds on it. One of the most striking aspects of the scene is all of party guest’s clothes are black and white. The men wear tuxedos and suits that are black with white dress shirts and the women wear dresses that are black. The standout? Paulette, as she has a hint of color in her dress. Due to this, Paulette stands out. She does not belong in the world of artists and art lovers, she is an outcast because art isn’t her life. This is further supported when Dobie buys Paulette an all black dress to wear to another event that night. Dobie wants Paulette to believe in herself as an artist and to stay with him, so she must wear an artist’s colors. However, Paulette declines the invitation and is never seen wearing the dress. Through wardrobe, Scorsese once again argues that Paulette doesn’t belong in the art world through her refusal to wear an artist’s colors while among artists and art lovers whereas Dobie is because he does.
Paulette with a red hue on her dress


Dobie and the party guests wearing all black and white

The black dress Dobie gifts to Paulette
At the end of the film, Paulette leaves Dobie and possibly gives up on her dream of being a painter. Dobie is tasked with finding a new assistant and offers the job to a young woman he meets at his gallery. The audience never learns her name or if she accepts the job offer, but based upon her reaction (surprised in a good way), they can assume she does. The new assistant wears an all black dress and fits into the world of artists. Through this, Scorsese suggests that Dobie has found who he deserves, but whether that’s another Paulette or someone who will love him back is left unanswered.
Dobie and his new assistant

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