Jefferson in Paris: The Garden Scene

By Brian Levy

[1] Jefferson in Paris is a historical fiction, meaning that the details may not be entirely accurate, but nonetheless there must be some basis in truth. In the case of the Jefferson-Hemings controversy, very little is known. This forces Jefferson in Paris to take one side of the controversy, and that side is that Jefferson and Sally have a relationship. When the film chooses one side of the argument, there must be some kind of justification for this choice or the creation of at least a plausible scenario in which Jefferson and Sally have a relationship. The garden scene is one of many scenes that are completely fictional but do suggest a possible explanation to one of the many questions surrounding the controversy (1:49:04).

[2] One argument in the Jefferson-Hemings controversy is that Jefferson would never have a relationship with Sally Hemings because she is an uneducated slave. The only other women of importance in Jefferson’s life are his wife and Maria Cosway. These women are cultured, educated, and artistically talented. Sally Hemings is in no way similar to these women. This film chooses to accept the idea that Jefferson and Hemings do, in fact, have a sexual relationship, and therefore it needs to provide some explanation for how this relationship came to be. Furthermore, in the film Jefferson and Maria do not end their relationship until shortly before Sally and Jefferson have sex for the first time, which also needs explanation. In the garden scene it becomes very clear why Jefferson would choose Sally. Jefferson thinks that he and Maria share common interests, and in the garden scene he talks to her about his garden and she is clearly uninterested. All she wants to talk about is her relationship with Jefferson and their potential future together at Monticello. The one who is interested in the garden and the food is Sally. She may not be the proper woman that Maria is, but she is willing to get her hands dirty, which in some way appeals to Jefferson. Maria is not even willing to take a bite out of the corn. Jefferson is used to women who are proper and artistic, but the film gives Sally other attributes that might appeal to Jefferson. For example, Sally is the only one who has the ability to heal Jefferson’s wrist when all conventional and experimental medicines fail. She also invents a tune on the spot that fits Jefferson’s sad mood perfectly. Sally might not be the typical woman that one would expect Jefferson to fall for, but in her own way Sally could make Jefferson happy.

[3] Another reason that Jefferson might choose Sally is that she reminds him of America. Jefferson is so fond of American food that he brings vegetables with him, but they do not grow. In the very next scene someone tells Maria that French soil is fertile for love, and Maria responds that “if the soil is American, then nothing will grow but corn.” There is clearly a difference between the American way of life and the European way of life. Shortly after Jefferson and Maria meet, she asks him if Patsy is in France to learn French manners and morals. He responds by saying that Americans are better off sticking to their own morals because they work better for Americans. This also applies to relationships, because Americans and Europeans are inherently different. Sally might be an uneducated slave, but she is an American nonetheless and reminds Jefferson of America and Monticello, which he wants to return to so much.

[4] Another interesting aspect of the garden scene is the portrayal of Sally as extremely manipulative. She intentionally bumps Jefferson when she is leaving the garden. She knows that Maria is looking and that this gesture shows that their relationship is more than that of a master and slave, because bumping one’s master is completely inappropriate. Then she takes the corn from James prematurely just so that she can go back out to the garden and further agitate the relationship between Jefferson and Maria. Upon her return she and Jefferson joke and laugh. Maria sees this, and she realizes that she and Jefferson no longer have this type of relationship. Jefferson is always on his guard with Maria, but with Sally he is often unguarded because he feels more comfortable with her. This realization drives Maria away.

[5] Overall, Jefferson in Paris uses plenty of artistic license, but the resulting story provides explanation for a lot of the questions in the Jefferson-Hemings controversy. It provides a possible explanation for why the relationship between Maria and Jefferson ended and for why Jefferson would be interested in Sally. While much of the film is not based in truth, it does piece together things in a way that supports its position regarding the Jefferson-Hemings controversy.