THE TWO OF US

France, 1967, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Michel Simon, Alain Cohan, Charles Denner.
Directed by Claude Berri.

The first in a series of films written and directed by Claude Berri - The Man with Connections, Marry Me, Marry Me, The Sex Shop, The First Time. (In the latter, the boy in this present film was used ten years later for his adolescent period.)

This film was very popular on first release. It used to great advantage the veteran film comedian Michel Simon in a very engaging role, full of complexity with humanness and prejudice. The little boy, Alain Cohen, is also very effective. Charles Denner was to repeat his role of the father in the later films.

The film shows a Jewish boy encountering a Catholic family in Vichy France. Prejudice is explored and the message is clear - but always presented in the very humane context of human relationships. It is a very warm film, full of expressions of affection and, to that extent, shows great insight into the nature of human needs and the quality of human loving. It is a film to be recommended - and it is superior to most of the films in the series.

1. A popular film, entertaining, humane? A message film?

2. Its place in the autobiography of the director? The first in a series? Its standing on its own merits, the light that it throws on the other films of Claude Berri and his work?

3. The presentation of France during the war - the focus on Vichy France? The comment at the beginning about Marshal Petain and his fate? The grandfather as symbolising this France and its occupation, attitudes? The memory of the First World War and Marshal Petain, his work, old glories of France and their failure, the disillusionment with the experience of the between-wars phase and so much of the blame on the Jews? War and change? How well did the film re-create the atmosphere of occupied France – radio, the portraits of the Marshal, the way of life and the bombardments?

4. The black and white photography, the re-creation of the war situation in the cities and in the countryside? The detailed portrayal of French homes, farms, country people and their lives? Sorrows, enjoyment, survival? Strengths and weaknesses?

5. The war situation for the Longman family? The opening of the film with the boy stealing and the repercussions for the family's being discovered? the punishment and the father's exasperation with his son? The transition to their moving and the two boys smoking in the lavatory and being discovered and the same danger of discovery and the same punishment? The boy being called a Jew and the indication that they would be discovered - and the fact that the little boy could not play at least during the war time? How well did these incidents illustrate the plight of the family, their feelings, pressure, dangers?

6. The portrait of the mother and father? In the houses as they moved, their works, as Jews In France? The exasperation of the father towards his son and the autobiographical comments of his son about being a difficulty for his parents? The importance of the ‘Mickey Mouse, the tailor’ story and the father trying to teach his son by this? The parents being very fond of their boy - signs of affection, kissing and hugging? In bed with them, feeding and washing him? The happiness and love that was actually lavished on him? The father as an ordinary kind of man, the mother as ordinary also?

7. The repercussions of their decision to send him away, their reliance on their friend? The irony of his being sent to an anti-Semitic old man in the country? The boy's comments on going away and his not wanting to, his getting his assumed name wrong? What were the demands being made on such a small boy in a difficult and dangerous situation? The affectionate farewells, going away in the train?

8. The introduction to the grandfather - and the nickname of 'Gramps'? The impact of Gramps on the audience? Especially at the initial meal and his hostile and prejudiced comments, his treatment of his wife and daughter, his comment on eating the rabbits and vegetables, his patriotism, memories of World War One? Catholic tradition? The attention that he lavished on his pet dog Kinou and the explanation of his age? The humour of his treating Kinou as an equal human being? How striking was the grandfather - likable and unlikeable?

9. Michel Simon's portrayal of Gramps - an a man, robust man of the country, his plumbing work in the past, his labour on the farm? His memory of his past as a ladies' man, of his marriage, consciousness of his age? His disappointment In his children? Seeing him at work, at play with the boy, going to church and his hostility towards the parish priest who was pro-Jewish? The stories that he told, his tending of the rabbits, his growing in love for the boy and their sharing so much together, his being baited by the boy for his prejudices and not realising them? The long sequence of the picnic with his joy, songs? His memory of the war and his comparison with the World War Two situation, the decline of Marshal Petain coinciding with his decline and confusion, his change of attitude and inability to know what was right and wrong? what was he left with at the end?

10. Gramps as humane, robust, the vigour of his stories, his earthy language and behaviour, his helping in the house? The importance of the long anti-Jewish stories and their effect on the boy? His being baited without realising It? His treatment of the boy after his head was shaved by the teacher? The bonds growing between the two culminating in the picnic?

11. The portrait of the boy and our knowledge of him - shy at first, in a Catholic household and his having to say Catholic prayers like the ‘Our Father' which he had memorised for example, school and the kids, hostility, his fights, the taunts? Gradually settling in in the home and loving It? Enjoying eating the rabbit but persuaded by Gramps not to? The bonds with the dog? Sharing so much work, the stories, expressing love affectionately? His infatuation with the little girl and sending the postcard and the repercussions with the shaving of his head? What had the experience of the war given to him and the bonds with Gramps?

12. The portrait of the Grandmother and her sturdy presence, her devotion to her husband, even though he disregarded her so often? Her care for the boy? The son and his neutral position, love for his wife, final antagonism towards his father? The daughter-in-law and her sympathy for the Jews?

13. The importance of the Jewish question - the boy concealing his identity, circumcision, prayer, pretending to be a Catholic? The priest and his stress on Christ being a Jew? The boy pointing out the similarities of behaviour which the grandfather thought odd? The platitudes and prejudice of the grandfather, especially his listing of the enemies and yet the Jews not having done anything to him? How important was the lack of explicit resolution and awareness in Gramps at the end of the film?

14. Comment on the human touches, the family sequences and the expressions of love, meals and joy, especially the picnic, the visit to the neighbours and bartering, the little girl and her work, the little boy with his finger in his nose, the schoolteacher and her attitude towards the boys answering questions, especially in Geography?

15. The background of the war and its reality, the effect of those not directly involved in it, the raids and the shelters, the notices about reprisals, the propaganda songs, the information on the war, de Gaulle in London, the codes from the BBC?

16. How effective a portrait of a boy growing up? a portrait of an old man ?

17. The effect of this experience on the boy - how rich? The point of view of the film as that of the film-maker looking back on his past, reliving it and communicating it to the world at large?