FAMILY BUSINESS
France, 1986, 98 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Halliday, Fanny Ardant, Guy Marchand, Fabrice Lucchini, Patrick Bauchau.
Directed by Costa Gavras.
Family Business is a film about a family with a difference. The father is a crack burglar and his son admires his father, decides to go along with the robberies as a child and becomes an expert in his own right. The irony of the plot is that the code which supports the family is taken over by the Mafia and the family becomes seriously involved and has to confront the values of its own bonds. The film is an interesting character study, picture of criminals, critique of loyalties and codes of behaviour and honour. The film was written and directed by Costa Gavras, better known for his political films, especially Z, The Confession, Special Section, Missing.
The film stars former singer Johnny Halliday, character actor Guy Marchand and, to great effect, Fanny Ardant. The film is particularly French in its style but is an interesting variation on themes of crime and retribution.
1. Entertaining drama, thriller, portrait of human relationships? French sensibility? The work of Costa Gavras and his political interests? As applied to a family and its codes?
2. A portrait of contemporary society, contemporary values?
3. Paris and the countryside, an authentic atmosphere and flavour, special effects, especially for the robberies? The score by Georges Delerue?
4. The title and its focus, the family, the irony, family councils and advice? And the contrast with the Mafia family?
5. The film seen from Francois' viewpoint: the voiceover reflection, seeing his room and the photos on the wall, the opening at school and the reading of the newspaper, confronting his mother for the truth about his father, discovering that she had lied, the build-up to the father's return, his pride in his father's reputation, his relationship with Martine and her knowledge of what had gone on, his telling the family, the build-up to her swearing the oath not to reveal anything and then being given a party? The impact of the return of their father, the joy, the outings? His father's severity and intensity, the necessity of the haircut, the interview with the priest and his going to boarding school? His listening in to what was happening? His fascination with his father and Max's work? Blackmailing him into letting him go? The supervision of his mother, his mother's decisions? His participation ?.and expertise? Going on holidays and the meal and his eyeing the girl? The change of lifestyle, the wealth, the continued debts and further robberies, caution as regards the police? The transition to his being older, Martine and her growing up confused, the sexy attitudes? His mother and her wisdom but her drinking? The various robberies: the bizarre robbery with the Bulgarian twins and talking Latin, taking the paintings? His skill in electronics, further education? His expertise in inspecting and choosing paintings during robberies? The Mafia contacts and things changing? Confronting his mother, the reality of their father's absence and the ease of their life, the bonds with Max? His love for wood, wandering the town, the shop, the encounter with Sophie, his decision to go into woodcarving, his father locking him in, the final confrontation, his phoning the police, Max’s accusing him of being a Brutus? His future? Character study, perspective, values?
6. Martine as a little girl, feeling left out, precocious, her father's return, knowing what was going on, her stealing, the swearing ceremony and the party, the family in council? Growing older, sexy, reacting against boarding school, her running away and her dramatics to get her own way, the ending and her knowing what her brother had done?
7. The portrait of the mother: strong, covering for her husband, her love for Louis, handling Francois and the truth, the preparation for the return, her wanting changes in their work, inspiration? Sharing in their life, the holidays? Friendship with Max and his place in the household? Her treatment of Francois, of Martine? her beginning to drink? The loneliness while the burglars were out at night? Francois noticing and attacking her? The change with the art robberies and her urging them to education? The Mafia connection? The build-up to the return from the U.S.? Louis and Max calling her Mom? Her reaction against this? The sense of freedom when her husband was absent? Her love for her children, yet sawing she would kill Francois if he spoke to the police? But not doing it at the end? The final freeze frame? her future?
8. Louis and his happy-go-lucky style, jail, coming back to the family and the joy, bringing Max with him, the celebration, discipline in fitness and exercise, referring to the burglaries as projects, developing their style? With his children, the boarding school, the achievement, the lawyer and his cut? And the irony of their being happy at his accidental death? The various robberies, the upset with the Bulgarians? The change of style, electronics, art robberies? The Mafia contacts, their visit to America, taking the Mafia too seriously and being brainwashed by their codes? The final arrest? Louis' ability, pride, limitations, achievement?
9. Max and his loyalty and friendship, being alone, sharing in prison, the projects, life, keeping fit? The encounter with Monique and Louis sending Monique Max's file and her disappearance? His relationship with Francois and Martine? His absorbing the Mafia ethos? The accusation of betrayal?
10. Themes of the law, the police, the victims of the robberies?
11. The background of school, children's idols, the boarding school and the priests? The religious motivation?
12. Themes of crime, values, family, values perspectives, goals?
