THERE WERE DAYS AND MOONS
France, 1989, 117 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Lanvin, Vincent Lindon, Annie Girardot, Francis Huster, Philippe Leotard.
Directed by Claude Lelouch.
There Were Days and Moons is the 31st film by French writer-director Claude Lelouch. Lelouche won international fame and an Oscar for the 1966 classic A Man and a Woman. It set the tone of Lelouche's career, lush romantic stories with glossy style for the popular audience. This 31st film is in the same vein.
There is a long prologue in Normandy, commemorating D- Day and the 45th anniversary celebrations. We are introduced to two characters and a wedding. Then come the credits and a focus on the beginning of daylight saving and the effect of a full moon in summer. Lelouch interprets it as a kind of fate and governing behaviour even to some madness. A whole range of characters are introduced and glimpsed throughout the film, the prediction of a death in 18 hours, and the inevitable coming together of all the characters in the death sequence. Complex, sometimes difficult to follow, the film nevertheless engages its audience in the variety of characters and their interactions. The film has the glossy style that audiences have become used to from television series and mini-series. It is very Gallic in its tone both of charm and fatalism.
1. The work of Claude Lelouche, the Gallic touch, interest in people and relationships, fate? His glossy and polished style?
2. The impact of the Normandy prologue, 1944, the re-enactment in 1989, the memories of the liberation? The beauty of Normandy, San Michel and other locations, the coast? The mood? The celebrations, the young people, the romance, falling in love, their interviews? The Paris locations, the suburbs? The detail of homes, the restaurants, the roads? The score?
3. The title, daylight saving, the full moon, madness? The nostalgic tone of the title, memories, reality and fantasy? The songs and their lyrics - especially the title song sung by the two singers at each end of the wedding table?
4. The Normandy setting, the falling in love, the romantic love at first sight, the interviews, the marriage - and the initial tensions, breakdown and clash?
5. The credits, the feast, the aftermath? The interview with the old man? The song and its lyrics? The transition to the composer, his melancholic and pessimistic song? His face in close-up and the window and the rain? The prediction of a death?
6. The intercutting of the range of characters, their connections, relationships, affairs? The transition to the road, traffic, confrontation? Moods?
7. The singer, alone, his melancholy, drinking, talking to the hotel maid - and her naive listening, girlish response? Sleeping it off, appreciation for the maid, the encounter with the couple having the affair, the offer of the taxi, flying to Rio - and booking his return?
8. Sylvain and the tension in his marriage, his wife leaving? His wanting to sell the restaurant, the cook and his anger? The staff? Sylvain and the relationship with his daughter, his delight with her, tiding over her mother's absence? The later phone call from the wife, going to the phone box, the wager with the stone - and the wife losing? The staff, their work, energy, clashes? Their enjoyment of the night - dancing with the couple rehearsing their numbers? The elderly woman, her memories, her dead daughter? Working, talking - with Sylvain, playing with Salome? Performing in the play with the priest and Salome? The couple with the dance rehearsals, their enthusiasm? Everybody joining in the dancing? Memories, happiness? Facing a future - the client wanting to buy the restaurant? Salome and her frank talks with her father, especially about sexuality? Their all assisting in the violent incident?
9. The lawyer, losing his cases, his pregnant wife? Her going to the airport, her work, the daylight saving and the cantankerous passenger who missed his plane, the sympathetic passenger? Her lover, his marriage, working in the first aid, the anger of the man injured, sewing him up, confiscating the knife? The end of the affair, going to the hotel, the break-up, the singer with the taxi? In the traffic jam, the angers? The final confrontation and the knife attack? The future of the man and the woman?
10. The filming of the cars, Gerard driving them away, driving on the roads, the clash with his wife, the daylight saving and his making the mistake? Leaving the cars, taking one, picking up Caroline - the memories of her wedding, the clash with her husband, wanting to go for the honeymoon by herself? The brutal treatment in the truck? Hitching a ride, Gerard and her realising the truth about his taking the car? His speed, the fears? The ambulance and their following it? Following the ambulance, the confrontation, the angry exchange, Gerard's desperation, the fight, the stabbing - and his assailant trying to ease him with breathing in his death?
11. The priest, role in the parish, acting, concern about mass, the confession - and the comments that he was homosexual? The relationship with the furniture dealer? With the pianist? The pianist, his compositions, the breaking of the affair? The priest and his assisting with the death?
12. The composer, his music, relationships?
13. The parents at the restaurant, the game of their meeting and flirting? Their pregnant daughter and her affair? The play and the wife's success? The daughter going to visit them - and the setting for the accident?
14. The travelling cabaret, their singing, performance, street theatre? Costumes, styles? The encounter with the police - and challenging him to drive the bus? His exhilaration - and challenging the next policeman? Their presence at the death, their song?
15. The overall impact of a day and a half in the life of a cross-section of French people? Their behaviour, relationships, destiny? The dialogue and its focusing on the influence of the moon?
