Au Revoir les Enfants (1987)

A French boarding school run by priests seems to be a haven from World War II until a new student arrives. He becomes the roommate of top student in his class. Rivals at first, the roommates form a bond and share a secret.

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Louis Malle, Louis Malle (scenario)

Stars:

Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejtö, Francine Racette

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 27 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gaspard Manesse	...	Julien Quentin
Raphael Fejtö	...	Jean Bonnet
Francine Racette	...	Mme Quentin
Stanislas Carré de Malberg	...	François Quentin (as Stanislas Carré De Malberg)
Philippe Morier-Genoud	...	Père Jean
François Berléand	...	Père Michel
François Négret	...	Joseph
Peter Fitz	...	Muller
Pascal Rivet	...	Boulanger
Benoît Henriet	...	Ciron
Richard Leboeuf	...	Sagard
Xavier Legrand	...	Babinot
Arnaud Henriet	...	Negus
Jean-Sébastien Chauvin	...	Laviron
Luc Etienne	...	Moreau (as Luc Étienne)

Storyline

In 1944, upper class boy Julien Quentin and his brother François travel to Catholic boarding school in the countryside after vacations. Julien is a leader and good student and when the new student Jean Bonnet arrives in the school, they have friction in their relationship. However, Julien learns to respect Jean and discovers that he is Jewish and the priests are hiding him from the Nazis. They become best friends and Julien keeps the secret. When the priest Jean discovers that the servant Joseph is stealing supplies from the school to sell in the black market, he fires the youth. Sooner the Gestapo arrives at school to investigate the students and the priests that run and work in the boarding school.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to saint thomas aquinas | school | boy | boarding school | classmate | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

France West Germany Italy

Language:

French German English Greek Latin

Release Date:

12 February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au Revoir les Enfants

Filming Locations:

Institution Sainte-Croix, Provins, Seine-et-Marne, France

Box Office

Gross USA:

$4,542,825

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF),MK2 Productions,Stella Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before he was a director, Quentin Tarantino worked in a video store. He called this movie "the reservoir film" because he couldn't pronounce the title.

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Goofs

When in the woods and running from his 'captors,' Julien hides in the rocks. During this sequence, his hair changes between shots.

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Quotes

Julien Quentin: T'as peur?
Jean Bonnet: Tout le temps.

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Crazy Credits

Pour Cuotemoc, Justine et Chloé. (opening credits)

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Connections

Referenced in Reservoir Dogs (1992)

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Soundtracks

Moment musical no 2
Written by Franz Schubert
Performed by Ami Flammer, violin

User Reviews

A work of genius

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon.)

This is a masterpiece of cinema, a work of genius by one of the greatest directors, Louis Malle. He does 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 and of 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 young boys in their parts. 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 facts speak for themselves.

I think artists working in any medium would benefit from study of this film.

What it says to us is be honest, be fair, 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, beautiful and wondrously talented Irène Jacob made her debut here in a small part as a piano teacher.