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Review
Le Grand chemin is an outstanding example of a genre of cinema which French film
makers have a particular aptitude for – the bittersweet coming of age drama. Thoroughly
engaging through its charming but unromantic portrayal of country life and convincing
acting performances, this is a film which appeals to its audience at many levels and leaves
a lasting impression. Moments of great poignancy are brilliantly captured
with the minimum of sentimentality, whilst some gentle comedy is used effectively to offset
the scenes of great dramatic intensity. Life is a mix of tragedy and comedy, usually
in equal measure, and by following that principle, the film maintains a sense of realism
whilst entertaining and enchanting its audience.
The film emphasises the vulnerability of a young boy entering adolescence by an effective narrative style, which shows two very differerent worlds brought into painful contact. The young boy who is at the heart of the film, Louis, has clearly lived a relatively happy life up until the instant when his mother leaves him with his aunt and uncle, even though he has not seen his father for some time. He is immediately shocked by the raw brutality of country life (rabbits being removed from their pyjamas), but this is merely a foretaste for what lies ahead. In the course of the next few weeks, he discovers that a married couple can hate one another, he learns about death, and then he discovers the bizarre ritual of sexual intercourse. Like Alice in Wonderland, Louis has crossed the threshold into another world, the world of adulthood, corrupt, flawed and quite terrifying to the new arrival. But unlike Alice, the young boy finds himself trapped in his new world - he cannot return to his former home of childhood innocence. The character of the boy Louis is superbly portrayed by Antoine Hubert, the son of the film’s director, Jean-Loup Hubert, with a nearly equally impressive performance by Vanessa Guedj, who plays Louis’ friend, Martine. It is a remarkable childhood double-act which bears more than a passing reminiscence to that of Georges Poujouly and Brigitte Fossey in René Clément’s 1952 classic, Jeux Interdits (with the roles reversed), another tale of childhood innocence tainted by the adult world. Richard Bohringer gives one of the most striking performances of his career as Louis’ seemingly misanthropic uncle Pelo. The actor’s talent is more than evident in a demanding role which requires him to portray a character who at first sight appears to be a dangerous ogre, but who is in reality just an old sentimental at heart. There is another strong performance from Anémone, who plays Louis’ aunt Marcelle - a convincing portrayal of a young woman whose life experiences have given her a thick skin to conceal, but not erase, her grief and vulnerability. Bohringer and Anémone were each awarded Césars for their fine work on this film. An inferior American remake of the film, entitled Paradise was released in 1991, directed by Mary Agnès Donogue and starring Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. © James Travers 2002 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Jean-Loup Hubert
Starring: Anémone, Richard Bohringer, Antoine Hubert, Vanessa Guedj, Christine Pascal Synopsis
In the summer of 1959, Louis, a nine-year old boy from Paris, is placed in the care
of his aunt Marcelle and uncle Pelo, who live in a rural Brittany village, whilst his
mother goes into hospital to have a baby. Louis’ first experiences of country life
are unsettling, particularly when he discovers a long-standing hostility between his aunt
and uncle. Ten years ago, Marcelle and Pelo had a son who died in childbirth, and
ever since the couple have lived together in acrimonious celibacy. Unaware of this
background, and oblivious to the fact that his father has abandoned his mother, Louis
makes his first steps down the great road of life towards adulthood. His guide is
a precocious young girl, Martine, who takes it upon herself to teach him the facts of
life...
Credits
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