Martin Bennitt Posted 14 October , 2006 Share Posted 14 October , 2006 Salut les Camarades The French film industry seems to think la Grande Guerre is the way to go for scenarios. Since coming back to this country from Cyprus (not much WWI connection there, by the way) in mid-2004 I have seen four good movies with direct or indirect links to 1914-18 -- 'La Chambre des Officiers' (The Officers' Ward), 'Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles' (A Very Long Engagement), 'Joyeux Noël' (Happy Christmas) and 'Les Ames Grises' (Grey Souls). I don't know whether the last two ever made the UK: there was a bit about the first one, which was a Cannes winner, on this forum but nothing in depth that I could find -- I thought the plot a bit ridiculous but the technical bits okay. Anyway, just letting you movie buffs know there is a new film on release in France from November 8. It is called 'Les Fragments d'Antonin' and seems to be a mental version of 'The Officers Ward' -- the rehabilitation of a soldier suffering from severe shell shock and psychic trauma. Pre-reviews are good, will let you know more when I have seen it. But nice to know the tradition of 'La Grande Illusion' lives on. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Take on me Posted 14 October , 2006 Share Posted 14 October , 2006 Salut les Camarades But nice to know the tradition of 'La Grande Illusion' lives on. cheers Martin B Its hardly surprising, World War One is like the Revolution, France will never, can never forget. I liked A Very Long Engagement, it was a pretty good film on the whole. I will look forward to this new movie. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Bailey Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 I liked A Very Long Engagement, it was a pretty good film on the whole. I will look forward to this new movie. Jon I agree. Enjoyable and they also put a lot of effort into the trench scenes. I saw it at the cinema and then bought the DVD set. The DVD extras are very good to watch. Gunner Bailey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 Martin, Thanks for the news. France's film industry produces every then and now rather good and interesting films on the subject (and generally, also quite thougth-provoquing). I await both for your comments about the film and the chance to see it (either on a big screen or in DVD) Besides the films already mentioned, I'd like to add "Capitaine Conan" , a fine film by Bertrand Tavernier dealing with the exploits of French soldiers in the Eastern front (Bulgaria) pre and post-armistice. A fine film with excellent actors, lead by a great performance by Pillipe Torreton (s societaire of the Comedie Française) Tavernier has also directed another film dealing with World War one, which I have yet to see: "La vie et rien d'autre" Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 15 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2006 Hi Gloria I have seen 'Capitaine Conan', which I thought was very good, and read the book by Roger Vercel, who drew on his own experiences on the Salonica Front and won the Goncourt Prize for it in 1934. 'La Vie et Rien d'Autre' is well worth seeing, starring as it does one of my favourite actors, Philippe Noiret. I expect 'Les Fragments d'Antonin' to be a bit more thought-provoking than 'Flyboys', though I must admit I haven't seen that yet, as it has not reached France. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 La Vie et rien d'autre is good - as Martin says, anythign with philippe Noiret is worth watching, but this was especially thought-provoking and interesting. Worth catching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 Steven Broomfield: anything with philippe Noiret is worth watching I wholeheartedly agree: thank God for good actors like him... And the directors who cast them! I have a growing collection of films with a Great War subject... Should we suggest Chris to add a section -News, reviews, etc...- for that? Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 I hasten to add that my previous post is no idle proposition: there are much more films dealing with WW1 than we are lead to believe, from those actually dealing with the war, to others where the war is featured -even if briefly- in the plot: I could mention "Colonel Blimp" or The Razor's Edge" And the great war also plays a prominent role... even in Musicals! take for instance the Cole Porter biopic "Night and day", the Astaire and Rogers' "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" or the Gene Kelly/Judy Garland film "For Me and My Gal". Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 15 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2006 I agree -- either a special film section, or expand the book reviews to book and film reviews. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 Gloria and I had vaguely kicked this around before. Fully agree. Mind, when Spielberg makes a Great War epic, with Tom Hanks leading his men through the German wire on the 1st Day of the Somme while having a quarter back throwing 50 yard touchdowns (I think that's the technical term)...won't we laugh!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 Steven, To have Spielberg making a movie about the Great War is complicated. I once read (and I stand to be corrected) that Spielberg was very interested in making the film adaptation of the "Harry Potter" movies, but J.K. Rowling declined as Spielberg told her to change the story so young Potter could be a regular american teenager as the ones he depicted in "ET" (living in a "typical house-mit-swimming-pool LA suburb", etc). Rowling wisely declined his offer. I suppose that in a Spielberg Great War film, we would have Americans fighting the Germans from before Mons, while the French and British watch curiously while idly drinking their tea and cafe au lait... And a "hun" who tries to ingratiate himself by telling the Doughboys he's a big fan of Mary Pickford of Lillian Gish while pleading for mercy. Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Take on me Posted 15 October , 2006 Share Posted 15 October , 2006 The idea of a Mel Gibson style Great War movie was discussed in the To the Last Man thread in the book reviews section of the forum. Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 16 October , 2006 Share Posted 16 October , 2006 JGM (in the other thread): ''Have the shells stopped screaming, Clarice'' Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 8 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2006 Well, I've just come back from seeing this on its opening night with just three other people in my local cinema. Hope word gets round and you get a chance to see it in UK and elsewhere because this is one good movie. Great acting by Grégori Derangère as the hero Antonin mentally traumatised by what he went through in the War. Powerful and a bit harrowing in places but no more blood and guts than necessary. Ending somewhat contrived but not implausible, front line scenes good, symbolism a little heavy at times, but all in all one I can recommend. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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