Vivienne drifts into town on the wind like Mary Poppins. She brings joy to everyone's she encounters except the mayor (just like Mr. Banks), which ultimately becomes her goal.
Roux is a jack of all trades drifter (like Burt), who has an implied, but unfulfilled romantic link to Vivienne (Mary Poppins).
Thoughts?
I caught that too, except Mary Poppins comes in on the east wind, and Viv on the north wind. But MP being Disney doesn't have the "satanic" overtones as in Chocolat - e.g. the red cloaks worn, refusal to enter the church, the "war" (on the mayor's side) between good/god and evil/atheism etc.
^I think your response shows why the film works. She comes in with her red cloak, does not want to attend church, and has a child out od wedlock and is seen as "satanic" but, in reality, whom did she hurt? She swooped in and saved the town, something the rigid religion was not doing. In the end, the Priest, or someone who seens Godly, hurt people, and destroyed her business. Why does she get the "Satanic" label? Red cloaks? Really? Is this what Religion has become?
If you look at things from surface level, religion teaches us not to trust free spirits like her because that has to be the devil, but she came in with no judgement of people and they were so used to being judged. They could finally be themselves. How strong was God's hold on the Priest if he went crazy in the end like that on her business?
I think this film is a film that asks you to look closer, far beyond just the surface.
Ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation (Eat, Pray, Love)