Baptême
1989 Comedy / Drama
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Credits
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Summary
A mining town in northern France, 1935. Aline, a young waitress in a café,
falls in love with one of her customers, Pierre, and persuades her reluctant parents to
let him marry her. It is the beginning of a life-long romance which, despite some
ups and downs, endures right up until Pierre’s death thirty years later. Just
before the war in 1939, Aline and Pierre lose their first child, Rémi, in a tragic
accident. After the war, they rebuild their lives and have two further sons, François
and Rémi, the latter named in memory of the lost first born. Neither privileged
nor well-educated, Pierre manages to provide his family with financial security by working
hard and sacrificing all he has to those he loves.
Review
In this simple yet poignant portrait of a modest French family, René Feret recounts
the lives of his parents with evident tenderness and affection. Although the film
veers towards flagrant sentimentality in a few too many places, it is the kind of character-based
drama which easily engages its audience and leaves a lasting impression. The
film shows that a life does not have to be hugely eventful to have been worthwhile and
that the story of a humble working class man and his family can be just as instructive
as that of a major historical figure.
© James Travers 2002 Write a review for this film... |
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