A BAD SON (UN FILS MAUVAIS)

France, 1980, 118 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Dewaere, Brigitte Fossey, Yves Robert.
Directed by Claude Sautet.

A Bad Son is an interesting and absorbing French drama by Claude Sautet. Sautet was very popular in the '709 and '80s in his native France with such films as The Things of Life, Paul Vincent Claude and the Others. This film stars Patrick Dewaere, a very popular actor who, unfortunately, committed suicide in 1982. He was certainly a coming French star. He is supported by French director Yves Robert (Tall Blond Man, Pardon Mon Affaire) and Brigitte Fossey.

The film is not highly dramatic in its plot, but it treats familiar situations and characters exceptionally well. The film and the cast offer insight and dramatic power to the relationship between a son who is a drug dealer and his builder father. There is also a love affair between the son and a woman on rehabilitation programmes.

Not a great film, but a topical and absorbing one.

1. An absorbing drama? Contemporary situations? Credible characters? Dramatic interaction and insight?

2. French locations, the atmosphere of the city, apartments, bookshops and building sites, factories? The interlude at the sea? Musical score? The strength of the stars?

3. The title and its focus on Bruno? His relationship with his father? The quality of his father's love for him, hatred of him? Blame? Responsibility?

4. The film as a portrait of Bruno: Patrick Dewaere's presence and style? His arrival at the airport, the background of his drug dealing, the summary by the official, his returning to France, going to find his father, the initial embrace, his father going, his seeking work, his jobs, the bonds with his father, going to see Madeleine, trying to find out the truth about his mother's decline and suicide, his not having written letters? The outing with his father and inviting the women, his father's turning against him, violence and turning, him out? His wandering? Getting jobs? The bookshop, the friendship of Dussart, the friendship with Catherine? Going to live with her? Her background? His wanting a manual job? With the furniture? The outing to the seaside, his impulsive stripping and swimming, the enjoyment of memories of childhood? His return, trying to see his father? The continued clash, finding him in bed with Madeleine? His father's accident and his not knowing, the hospital, watching him from a distance? Catherine and the drugs, Dussart's intervention? The reconciliation with his father? A future?

5. The portrait of the father: his relationship with his wife, her decline and death? Relationship with Madeleine? His attitude towards his son's crimes and imprisonment? Welcoming him home? Sharing the apartment, interest in his work? His angers at him? Rage? Turning him out? Caught with Madeleine? His friendships with the workers over many years? His accident, hospitalisation, on crutches, meeting with Bruno? Reconciliation?

6. Catherine and her drug background, working in the shop, friendship with Bruno, their living together, her drug-taking, the visit to the country with Dussart and Bruno? Her decline, going to the institute, Bruno's visit? Hopes for the future?

7. Dussart and his sympathy, taking people on drug programmes, the book shop and his skills, friendship with Carlos? Visit to the country? His speech to Bruno - and his bitterness and hurt - as an elderly man, the bookshop, his homosexuality, relationship with Carlos?

8. A portrait of French life? Problems, relationships, strains, reconciliation?