The Two of Us

Claude Berri, France, 1967, bw (9.4*)

aka Le vieil homme et l'enfant

Originally: The Old Man and the Boy

One of my favorite French films by my favorite French director, Claude Berri (Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring), this is a joyous black-and-white classic. In occupied WW2 Paris, a Jewish couple are afraid for their young son's (Alain Cohen) safety so they send him off to the countryside to live with an elderly couple who become surrogate grandparents. Apparently they are unaware of his background, for the old man, Pepe, voices anti-Semitism during radio broadcasts of war news, repeating the propaganda he hears on the radio.

Pepe is wonderfully played by veteran actor Michel Simon, whom Berri coaxed out of retirement for this part (he looks like a French W.C. Fields with the red nose, just look at the dvd cover!), warms up quickly to the lad and becomes his partner in play as its obvious that having the kid around has given him a rejuvenation after a quiet retirement and slow country living.

Berri never makes this a sad or bitter war film, but a happy, joyful celebration of a child with a grandparent. The war, if it exists, is in another realm altogether, without the radio no one would know it was even occurring. Berri's first film is a beautifully shot b&w classic, instantly heartwarming without sentimentality or banality, one of those rare subtle masterpieces.

If you include it in the war or holocaust genres, which is really a stretch, it would be one of the more memorable of either. It's really a children's film, and a film for parents of all ages who love kids, yet children won't understand the reason that Claude is sent away nor for the mystery surrounding his background. All-in-all, this is a must-see treat for all cinephiles. Berri's epic two-parter, Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring, is my favorite French film and one of my fave epics of all-time.

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Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring

Claude Berri, 1986, France (10*)

Best Picture (BAA)

Superb French epic, that country's finest film for me, though admittedly, I'm not a big fan overhyped French cinema (Godard's Weekend seemed to last that long, worst two hrs of my film life). This is one novel split into two films, and oddly seems to now carry a half French, half English title, the 2nd part is really "Manon des Sources". Filmgoers could see it as a double feature when released or come back the next day for the second half! Now, the dvd is flippable, a film on each side, and should be viewed as one.

The first half concerns an urbanite, Gerard Depardieu, who moves his family to a beautiful yet arid French farm, with the dream of becoming a flower grower. Jealous and greedy neighbors (the best acting ever for Yves Montand and Danielle Autiel both) hope he fails so they can get the land cheaply for themselves (as a subprime foreclosure, nothing is new!). The entire story hinges on drinking water, notably a spring that supplies the town's water supply. The second half tells the story of his daughter, Manon, now grown up, and beautifully as Emmanuelle Breart, and since I don't want to include any spoilers, everyone should watch both halves for themselves, as together they are Yin and Yang, the complete circle. Like impressionist art, simply beautiful to watch, and with a story worthy of modern parable and myth-making. An all-time Top 10!

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