Customer Reviews

Au Revoir Les Enfants (The Criterion Collection)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Louis Malle, one of the best directors to ever create film, gained his reputation through a series of semi-autobiographical films, films so heart-felt, so deeply emotional, so full of detail, they can't be anything but outstanding. "Au Revoir Les Enfants", recently released on DVD by the Criterion Collection, is my favorite of these films.

Julien (Gaspard Manesse) has a deep-felt affection for his mother (see Malle's "Murmur of the Heart" for more on this) but he understands he will be much safer at the French boarding school in the countryside. The school, run by priests, provides a safe haven for the children of well-off families during World War II. Returning from Christmas break, the new year is uneventful for a while. Julien is a bright student and the ring leader for a bunch of boys. Julien trades items with Joseph, a poor boy who works in the kitchen, more out of amusement than anything else, but also to supplement the meager diet served by the priests. One day, a new student arrives; Jean Bonnet (Raphael Fejto), a quiet boy the other kids make fun of: "Look at Easter Bonnet." Julien also begins to notice things about the new kid; he doesn't participate in the Catholic prayers the father's lead, he doesn't eat certain things, and one night, Julien wakes up to find Jean praying over some candles. Then, Julien's attitude changes and he forms an uneasy friendship with Jean.

Made in 1987, more than forty years after the events depicted, Julien is a thinly disguised autobiographical version of the director, as he lives a real life event from Malle's childhood. You might expect such a film to be filled with saccharin and sugar, full of fond reminiscences from his childhood. But the film is very astute at depicting the childhood as an observer might see it. We watch Julien observe things, react to things, but he is very adult for his age, giving us an adult view of the events. Because we are watching his reactions, we see his feelings, which are emotional but reserved. It is similar to a television show with a laugh track, the fake laughter cueing us to laugh. When the television show doesn't have a laugh track, they have to work harder to make us laugh. When we are watching the events unfold through Julien's eyes, Malle has to work harder to make adults feel for the characters. Because this works, every emotion is more resonant and the film is much more powerful.

Life in the school is depicted in such a vivid fashion, it instantly becomes clear someone really lived through this period, this tale is autobiographical. The boys live in an old monastery, with very little heat. Yet, they don't seem to notice the problem much. They have endured it for so long and have become used to it, playing outside in the frigid weather, wearing shorts and coats. The classes are also very different from what we are used to today; the teachers are strict and the children tend to learn despite the circumstances of their life. Even though these children are from rich families, living in this boarding school, and they are well-cared for, they still have worries. The war is ever present. Some of the students have lost brothers, father, uncles and more. They are better off than many of their countrymen, but that doesn't mean they are comfortable.

As the relationship between Julien and Jean grows and changes, their friendship becomes deeper. Julien is like most boys his age, anytime someone new enters the picture, they have to prove they can fit in. Jean doesn't really fit in, or for that matter, really try to. Yet, every time Julien is surrounded by a group of friends, Jean seems to long for the same camaraderie. He is better in most subjects than Jean and he seems to get the preferential treatment Julien once received. But as Julien realizes Jean is different, and begins to piece together why, he realizes Jean will never completely fit in and has to help him through this ordeal. They become friends. Thankfully, Malle also shows a lot of restraint in this area. The friendship is a gradual thing. It doesn't happen immediately, or completely, taking time to develop.

Because the film is set in the winter of 1944, the threat of German soldiers is constant. These soldiers have occupied the small town, changing everything about the people's lives. Yet, Malle doesn't paint them as the completely evil men we have come to associate with Hitler's persona. Yes, there is always a threat, but some of their human qualities are displayed. When Julien and Jean get lost in the forest, German soldiers find them and return them to the school. One of the teachers makes a remark about the "filthy" German soldiers. The soldier responds he would like the blanket the "filthy" Germans used to keep the children warm during the ride back. During a parent visit, Julien's mother visits and takes them to a restaurant. At the restaurant a French Collaborator gives a Jewish customer a hard time. A table of German soldiers notices this and chastises the French Collaborator, humiliating him, leaving the Jewish customer to reflect in silence. The German Soldiers acted out of irritation at having their dinner interrupted, but it is interesting to watch them take the frustration out on the right person. It would have been extremely easy to paint the German soldiers as the villains we know they were. This story is told through Julien's eyes. And at the time, he wouldn't have known the full extent of the atrocities inflicted by the German army. Therefore, Malle makes some of these men seem human, giving the entire film another layer of depth. Also, during the final moments, when the Gestapo arrives at the school to investigate claims of Jewish students, their leader seems to be fairly kind and nurturing, even towards the Jewish students he uncovers. Of course, this makes him all the more monstrous. We don't expect him to take one of the children and start reading him a bedtime story. We know the fate of these children. And it is chilling. We don't really need to know what happened to them, but when Malle provides voice over narrating what happened to Jean and the other Jewish students hiding in the boarding school, we learn their fate and it causes great sadness.

All of these different layers help to make the story seem more realistic. The boarding school is run by Pere Jean (Philippe Morier-Genoud), a strict missionary who puts up with little foolishness. But after Jean's arrival, Julien witnesses a different side of the headmaster. The fact that this Catholic priest would help Jewish children hide in his boarding school, putting him and the school at risk, is a truly courageous thing. This is yet another layer, another detail, giving the film great depth. Because no one is completely innocent, or completely bad, everyone is involved in the tale of wartime survival.

"Au Revoir, Les Enfants" is a heartfelt, masterful film everyone should witness for themselves. Description doesn't do it justice.

Malle also worked in American film, creating some interesting stories, the best of which is "Atlantic City" starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon in an early role.

If you haven't experienced the work of Louis Malle, now is the time. "Elevator to the Gallows", an early Malle film, was also just released by Criterion. Check it out.

This is a masterpiece of cinema, a work of genius by the late great Louis Malle. Would that we had another like him! As in Le souffle au coeur (1971) Malle (apparently) reprises part of his childhood for us, recalling everything with the barest touch, just the slightest emphasis, without rancor or any loading of the deck. He understates and plays fair always. He has complete control of his story as he gently guides the audience. He knows what they believe and what they expect. He respects that, but he doesn't cater, and he is very gentle about leading us to the conclusion. He makes it beautiful although it is horrible.

Gaspard Manesse as Julien and Raphael Fejto as Jean are unforgettable and a reminder that in film it's important to have a good cast. Yet, I suspect Malle could have made geniuses of any number of talented boys in their roles. This is your Catholic boys school coming of age film without lecherous priests or the brutality of children; that is, no more than is necessary, just what is real and seen in perspective, the context being the Nazi occupation of France in 1944. It is amazing how Malle manages to show the bestiality and brain dead stupidity of the Nazis by presenting them at their most gentle. If one can damn by faint praise, one can destroy by contrast. Compared to what is human and natural we see the Nazis, as their pretentious Reich is falling apart, chasing after children, obsessed with psychotic racist delusions. Through the objective eyes of the children we see the evil. Malle need only let the events speak for themselves.

I think artists working in any medium would benefit from a study of this film. (An excellent American film by Malle also worth study is the fascinating Atlantic City (1980) starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon.) What Malle's technique teaches us is to be honest, to be fair, and to keep it simple, but not too simple. Use not a brush stroke more than necessary, and pay attention to every detail, especially the small ones. But while we can learn from and appreciate, it takes genius to pull it off. It can't be done by connecting the dots.

I am struck by a little irony on the jacket of the video. It has an early Siskel and Ebert quote: "One of the year's best films." That's a little embarrassing unless the year is a hundred years long.

Incidentally, the sublime and beautiful Irène Jacob, who later became a protege of Krzysztof Kieslowski in La Double vie de Véronique (1991) and Trois Couleurs: Rouge (1994), made her debut here in a small part as a piano teacher.

Au Revoir les Enfants (Goodbye, Children) is a French film of profound sadness. The story is about Julien Quentin, a young French boy who must attend school in the countryside because Paris is not safe due to WWII. The opening scene with Julien saying goodbye to his mother says a lot about Julien's character. He can be mean yet at the same time, he shows incredible love and friendship to those dearest to him. While at the school, he meets Jean Bonnet, a mysterious boy who Julien cannot help but be curious about.

The title of the film says much about the themes present. As the film progresses, 12-year-old Julien learns about the tragic things in life. Unlike most other boys his age, the events surrounding the film cause him to grow up earlier than he is comfortable with. Childhood is an incredibly fleeting thing and to many of the characters in the film, it is even more so.

The strongest part of the film was the acting by Gaspard Manesse (Julien) and Raphael Fejtö (Bonnet). Julien initially takes a dislike to Bonnet, but they begin spending more time with one another, learning that despite differences in each other, they are able to get along and form a friendship that touches both of their hearts. A tragic yet innocent mistake late in the film leads to a heart wrenching and unforgettable ending.

Au Revoir les Enfants is one of the best films I've seen. It is intelligent and deep in its message. For me, the message is that war affects children unnecessarily and cruelly. Like the title implies, children are forced to grow up too quickly because of war. I do not know about other viewers but for me, childhood was a happy yet brief time. For children affected by war and violence, it is even shorter, and this film perfectly embodies the tragic consequences that follow. I cannot recommend a film more intensely than this film. See it and judge it for yourself.

I couldn't review SCHINDLER'S LIST, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL and THE GREAT DICTATOR (films related to some of the darkest saddest times in humanity, during Nazi rule) and pass up AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS (GOODBYE, CHILDREN). This is, in my opinion, one of the finest films made by the late, great Louis Malle. It is a semi-autobiographical account of a young boy living a sheltered life in a Catholic school and the chance encounter he has with his classmate, who is first a rival and then becomes a beloved friend. This friend is concealing a secret during a time when the Nazis were cracking down on and removing Jews from schools, among other places. I don't need to say too much for you to know the gist of the plot, the pressures that the young protagonists face and the brutal reality of life that hits them smack between the eyes. This film sensitively and honestly depicts their plight, during a very dark point in history. AU REVOIR, LES ENFANTS is truly poetry for the eyes, and you will never be the same after viewing it.

Louis Malle has packaged a sensitive but ultimately brief and tragic friendship between a young parisienne at a Catholic boarding school and a jewish boy who is being hidden there by priests during the Nazi occupation. Malle, sensitively and realistically uncovers their triumphs, their foibles and shortcomings in a manner that will both move you and entertain you. The inevitible outcome weaves its way through the entire fabric of this production. Use the subtitles, have a hanky handy and be prepared for something very special.

emotionally shattering true-life tale (well, sorta) based on an incident in director louis malles youth wherein the school in which he (played by the very beautiful gaspard vanesse who sadly did not continue acting) was enrolled served as a haven for jewish students hiding out from the nazis. what could have been merely a suspense tale or a coming of age movie (and it IS both, and splendid examples of each) instead resonates as a meditation on survival, betrayal, and accomodating and forgiving oneself. a great film, but only for mature audiences.

This movie is a miracle. It's also one on the rare films concerning France's darkest times. And also one of Malle's masterpieces.Why doesn't the DVD exist ??

Despite the two lead actors being in their teens at most, this film managed to capture so much emotion and beauty while telling a typically melancholy french tale. The story line has been summarised above so I wont repeat it, but I can tell you that it neither drags on nor moves too quickly. Because of the dramatic nature of the film the subtitles don't move too quickly and are actually quite easy to follow; even so, a base knowledge of French would supplement your enjoyment of the film. Overall a compelling story of human courage in the face of inhuman evil.

Au Revior les Enfants is a 1987 film written and directed by Louie Malle that recalls his fall and winter semesters in Catholic school in France in 1944. During this time, the Germans are stepping up their program against the Jews, and eventually the issue comes to Malle's school where a number of Jewish boys have been posing as Catholics.

Malle was nominated 3 times for an Oscar ("Murmur of the Heart", "Atlantic City", "Au Revoir les Enfants") . He won 2 awards at Cannes ("Pretty Baby" and "Le Monde du Silence") and over his career of 33 films he won a total of 37 awards. Malle is famous for "The Lovers" (1958) which resulted in a Supreme Court ruling about pornography, and equally famous for being the husband of Candice Bergen. I think his best work was "My Dinner with Andre" (1981) although his most reknowned film is "Au Revoir Les Enfants." The film won 7 French Oscars and several European awards. It was nominated for a Golden Globe, 2 Oscars and 4 BAFTAs, but won only 1 BAFTA (best direction).

As with almost any French film it is slow to develop and tends to linger on individual scenes in an attempt to bring some lyrical quality to the shot. Malle's tender reflections go on and on for more than an hour before we can get any sense of the underlying theme of the film. Though it's all very nice and child-like, it seems an excessive amount of time to devote to the goings on. For example, at one point, we watch the children watch a Charlie Chaplin silent film. It's a marvelous bit of direction and works, for about 30 seconds. But as the scene lingers on, switching between the children and Chaplin, I found myself getting more interested in the Chaplin film than the French film. Mercifully, after about 3 minutes, the scene ends. What could have been a touch of brilliance got milked to the point of becoming an annoyance.

I understand that many viewers will find the slow pace enjoyable, and some will find it enthralling. Roger Ebert praises how Malle "naturally evokes the daily life of a French boarding school". I'm just saying that I don't. Moreover, it's hard to imagine that this is really World War 2 and there are people being slaughtered everywhere. The Nazis behave like stern school monitors, and even the Gestapo are polite, sincere, and gentlemanly. In addition, everyone complains about the cold, but there is no snow, no ice, not even a chill wind blowing. People complain about the lack of food, but everywhere people seem to be well fed and there are a couple of really fat kids.

"Au Revoir" can be compared with other World War 2 films that show what goes on in a conquered country. "The Last Metro" is a film about the German occupation of France, while "North Star" (1943) shows us the German occupation of a small Russian town and "Hangmen Also Die" (1943) focuses on Prague. Among these, "Au Revoir" seems to be the least concerned with the war.

If you're looking for a tender film about growing up in a Catholic school in Europe in the 40s, this is a really sweet and tender look and you will enjoy it. If you're looking for some commentary about World War 2, or about the French resistance, or the treatment of the Jews, or anything political or societal, you will be disappointed.

AU REVOIRE LES INFANTS is a moving coming of age film by famed French director Louis Malle. Julien Quentin, the film's protagonist, is a member of a well to do French family. He attends a Catholic boarding school during World War II which is the setting of most of the film. Julien is a sensitive, intelligent twelve year old and is considered by his teachers to be a young man with great promise. He is asked to befriend a new student Jean Bonnet, but this the young Julien finds difficult. Jean is the first student to rival the young Julien academically, and when Jean is taunted by his classmates, Julien fears risking his popularity. Eventually Julien finds in Jean the only student who shares his interests and both understands and shares his precociousness.

There are not many surprises in this film. Germany is losing the war and the French know it, which causes the Germans to resort to bullying tactics. Jean is attending the school as a means of escaping the death camps. Eventually the school's harboring of Jews is discovered and the school is closed. Director Louis Malle accepts that viewers will know the story and this allows us to be drawn into the characters. We see good and we see evil, but we also see that blurred line between good and evil that can make any of us ask ourselves what we would do in the same situation. For this reason the film stays with the viewer and can be seen multiple times and each time a new insight can be gained.

The critical praise of this film when it was first released is well deserved. Malle captures the atmosphere of France in 1944 perfectly. We see a defeated nation but we see glimpses of its pride returning. The boarding school is accurate and the Catholic back-story is authentic. Yet what makes this film so compelling is the superb acting of the two young actors Gaspard Manesse and Rafael Fejto as Julien and Jean respectively. Throughout the film Manesse plays Julien with an innocence that is endearing but hidden under the innocence is a sophistication that far exceeds his age. Fejto's Jean is both frightened and brave and he's able to capture a young man who would be lively and engaging if the circumstances were different.

Perhaps the fact that the film is based on Malle's own experiences during the war is the reason for its quality, but it is a moving film that will not soon be forgotten and reminds us that good films, like good novels, have a way of staying with us.