HAPPY NEW YEAR

France, 1973, 115 minutes, Black and white/Colour.
Lino Ventura, Francoise Fabian, Charles Gerard, Andre Falcon, Mireille Mathieu.
Directed by Claude Lelouch.

Happy New Year is a typical Claude Lelouch film. While it opens and closes in black and white, the centre part of the film is in bright Lelouch colour.

Lelouch is fond of romantic, very Gallic themes. Lino Ventura, a veteran of crime films including Borsalino, is released from prison. He is a thief, plans a robbery. He collaborates with a partner – but also falls in love with an antiquite shop owner.

Most of Lelouch’s films can be seen as something of a variation of A Man and a Woman. So can this one. However, it is not only the robbery theme, it is the exploration of characters and their interrelationships, the quality of the dialogue which ranges over a wide aspect of human experience and thought.

The film was remade with Peter Falk and Wendy Hughes by John G. Avildsen, Happy New Year.

1. An interesting and enjoyable crime romance film? Expectations from the work of Claude Lelouch? His previous treatment of love stories, romance? How well did he blend these ingredients? With irony? The significance of the title?

2. The importance of the structures the 1966 memoir, the making of a man and a woman and the world that it reflected, the flashback sequences? The interchange between present and past? The prison and the flashbacks to robbery? The preparations for the robbery and its false execution? The flashbacks and the past story? The finale with the facing of the future?

3. Comment on the treatment of the love theme, with irony? The lyric romanticism of A Man and a Woman? Its positive approach, the children? Simon and Francoise? The bonds between the two? The robbery basis, the masks
and disguises and deceptions? Fallibility and infallibility? The bonds of regret? How superficial the bonds of love, how real? Their mutual capability of love, Simon and his time in prison, Francoise and her lovers during this period? Her decision on Simon’s reappearance? The kind of future they face together?

4. The background of the crime theme? The plans for the robbery, the presentation of crime and the film's attitude towards it, the various deals, the setting of the disguises, the agency of Michau The detailed rehearsals? The lion and the manager of Van Clete? The plan, the execution of the crime, Simon being trapped? The repercussions of the crime when Simon was released? The police tracking, the disposal of the money? The morals of the world of robbery? Were they accepted by Lelouch or not - or just merely presented as background?

5. The characterisation of Simon – a good man, man of instinct, his criminal background, bonds with Charlot, the agency of Michau? His skill at his disguises, his skills for the robbery? The rehearsals, the tension, his nerves? His mistakes? The effect of prison, the grim outlook on life, how relentless was he as he left prison, how did he relent in terms of Charlot, Francois, the money, his escape? A credible human being?

6. The character sketch of Charlie and the man associated with the crime? Michau and his impersonations?

7. The supporting cast, especially the manager of Van Clete's and his trusting Simon and the way that he was used?

8. The portrait of Francoise - as a middle-aged woman, her work, the details of her life-style? Her decisions to help Simon, her falling in love with him, the reality of their bond, lovers and affair? Her visits to him in prison? Her other lovers, especially the one Simon discovered on his release? Her changing her way and hoping for his return? The bond between the two and their future?

9. The film’s reflections on the significance of life and its meaning, the place of love, accidents, decisions?

10. Its portrait of a man and a woman in middle age?

11. The significance of time and the use of time - for the robbery, the rehearsals? In prison? Mary? The focus on Lelouch’s original film?

12. How well did the film blend romance and reality?