SUNDAY IN THE COUNTRY

France, 1984, 95 minutes, Colour.
Louis Ducreux, Sabine Aszema, Michel Aumont.
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier.

Sunday in the Country is a beautiful film. The plot is simply that of an old man, an artist, visited by his dull middle-class son, his wife and children on a Sunday in France early this century. His housekeeper looks after him, scolds him, prepares his meals. His vivacious daughter pays a flying visit, despite her emotional worries. They talk, laugh, quarrel, reminisce, regret. And they go home. But it is not a matter of what happens. Audiences share vividly, often exquisitely, this Sunday experience of another time, of another place - but of unchanging human nature.

The film was made by Bertrand Tavernier (Death Watch, Coup de Torchon) and looks and sounds beautiful. It has an excellent performance by Louis Ducreux as - the old man and the attractive Sabine Azema as his daughter.

1. A beautiful and elegant film? Entertainment? Insight?

2. The period of France in 1912? Before World War One, an old world atmosphere? Period decor and costumes? Sunday and the French countryside? The tranquil pace? The musical score?

3. The structure of the film: the voice-over and the commentary (appropriate or not)? The portrait of Monsieur Ladmiral and his life at home, his housekeeper, the preparations for the visit, the visit and the various encounters? The importance of the flashbacks gently inserted? The lyrical overtones of French painting with the two little girls and their moving into the film at various times?

4. The portrait of Monsieur Ladmiral: age, crankiness, the clashes with Mercedes, his being late, the walk to the station, the past and the memories of his wife? The presence of his wife in his life? His children and his attitudes towards them? Expectations of Gonzague? Concern about Irene - but not knowing the realities of her life? His attitudes towards his work? His success and lack of success? Fussy, reacting, arguing? Enjoying the outings, the children? Concerned about Irene? The family going home and his being left with his painting and memories?

5. Irene and her style, that she had left home, her setting up in business, emotional traumas, the visit, the car, her relationship to her brother? Fashion and swirl? Her love for her father? The outing in the car? The contrast with Gonzague? The phone calls? The indications of her tension - though the audience did not know the details, just the feeling? Her hurrying away?

6. Edouard and his proper name? His proper style, family, coming by train, the customs of the visit to his father, his wife and children? The bickering within the family? His narrow outlook? The clashes with his father? The expectations, his wanting to paint, his going into, business? Domination by his wife? The incidents of the day, the meals, the contrast with Irene? Leaving - to come back another Sunday?

7. Edouard's wife and her bourgeois style, her domination of him, her hurrying into church to catch parts of the Mass, her bringing up of her children, manners, snobbery?

8. Mercedes, and her devotion, her shrewdness, her helping Monsieur Ladmiral?

9. The background of art - in the visuals of the film? In the theories about painting of the time? Academic and spontaneous? Monsieur Ladmiral's painting, still-life styles?

10. A film of detail, miniature, visual beauty, emotional satisfaction?