MILOU IN MAY
France/Italy, 1989, 108 minutes, Colour.
Michel Piccoli, Miou- Miou, Michel Duchaussoy, Harriet Walter, Dominique Blanc.
Directed by Louis Malle.
Milou in May is an interesting and entertaining film co-written and directed by Louis Malle. Malle living in the United States during the '80s, making such films as Atlantic City, Crackers, Alamo Bay. However, he returned to France in the late '80s to make Au Revoir Les Enfants and Milou in May. A veteran of the French New Wave with such interesting films as The Lovers, Zazie in the Metro, as well as Murmurs of the Heart and Lacombe Lucien, Malle has made an imposing number of films over several decades.
This film is set in spring of 1968 with the threat to the French Bourgeoisie of the student uprising associated with Paris and the Sorbonne. However, this is the background to the film. In the foreground is a bourgeois family (memories of Malle's own family and childhood) where the grandmother dies and the family gather together, not so much in solidarity but rather in tradition but greed.
Michel Piccoli is excellent as Milou. But Miou- Miou, in a style contrasting with many of her performances, is also excellent as the authoritarian, greedy and over mothering daughter. (Her own daughter plays, very effectively, the young Francoise.) The film has an excellent cast of supporting characters including Paulette Chabost, one of the stars of Renoir's 1939 Rules of the Game. In fact, this film is reminiscent of the tone of Renoir's classic. It is also reminiscent of the films of Bertrand Tavernier (Sunday in the Country) but it shifts towards the end to social satire in the manner of Luis Bunuel (perhaps the influence of Jean Claude Carriere, the co-writer, collaborator on many of Bunuel's later films). Beautifully photographed, well acted, a blend of humour and satire, with an arresting violin jazz style score by Stefan Krepelli, Milou in May is very good entertainment.
1.The work of Louis Malle over many decades, the autobiographical background of this story, the personal tone - criticism, affection?
2.1968, the French countryside, the sounds of the uprising through the radio, the uprising on a small scale in the town? The period, style? The musical score and the Internationale?
3.Milou as the focus, the family and the tradition, in the French springtime, the end of an era, springtime in French society in 1968 and a new era?
4.The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie: the family and its estate, tradition, memories of the French revolution and the 19th century and the barricades, elite, wealth - but becoming impoverished, Rightist social attitudes, anti-Revolution and students, manners and morals, decay, greed? The alternate title of Fools in May?
5.1968 seen in the retrospect of 20 years later, the enthusiasm of the time, the need for change, tradition, the role of de Gaulle, uprising and settlement? The subsequent decades?
6.The portrait of the mother, her weeping, cooking onions, her collapse, singing the dirge, collapsing and dying? Lying in state in the room, made up, each of the family and their reaction to her, in her presence? The long time there, the behaviour of the family in the house, often ignoring her? Their finally abandoning her? Her being liked and disliked? Her appearing to the gravedigger, playing the piano for Milou and waltzing with him? Symbol of the end of an era? Looked at with affection?
7.Milou and the bees, Leonce, the news of the death, its effect on him, the phone calls, trying to cope? His place in the family, widower, not earning money yet devoted to the house? His relationship with Adele? Camille and the dutiful daughter, the grandchildren, the special love for Francoise? His love for his mother and his sadness, crying in his room? His relationship with George and the contrast of their lives? The joy of his life, the meals, his outburst against dividing the estate and selling it? Going to catch the yabbies, the friendship with Lily? The vigil by his mother, sleeping, looking at Francoise? The arrangements for the funeral, the postponement, the arrangement to find the grave and dig it? The meal, getting the wines with Lily and his relationship with her? The picnic joy, the evening of the meal, the talk about freedom and the revolution, freedom of expression, sexuality? Drinking? The neighbours and their fear, fleeing the house, the trek through the woods, the weather, trying to survive, eating? Found by Adele? The return, the burial? Left dancing with his mother? A future?
8.Camille and Paul, busy, Paul and his appointments and the wasted trip, going back to Bordeaux? Camille and her relationship with the lawyer, the childhood memories, on the top of the car, flirting, her later attack on him exploiting her? Her love for her children, the continued care, mothering them, cooking, discipline, bossy, stealing the ring, wanting the goods divided, wanting to sell? Her tough attitudes? Elite, anti-students? Her manner, relaxing and enjoying meals, the picnic? But her fears, the trek through the woods? Her collapse and fight with Claire about the ring? Angry at being used? The sketch of the children - the twins, at play, rough and tumble?
9.Francoise and her relationship with her parents, loving, kissing her grandmother, her love for Milou, in his company, the yabbies? Telling Adele the news? Her continued questions? Involved in everything in the family? Hope for the future in her?
10.George and Lily and their arrival, walking, the lack of petrol because of the strikes? Lily's story about the plane, marrying George? George as the correspondent, continually listening to the radio - even in his mother's presence? English phrases? His attitudes, carry-on, listening, attitude to the estate? Frustrated, getting old, losing his job and keeping it secret? Fooling around, leading the conga line? Lily and her acting background, her relationship with the group, vivacity, friendship with Milou, the yabbies, the wine, going along with the selling of the estate? On the trek? Her relationship with the family - and with George and the future?
11.Adele, the companion to the mother, looking after the house, her relationship with Milou? Work, the codicil, her falling at the news, the dividing of the furniture and crockery, cooking, tracking them down in the woods, her fiance - and her future?
12.Claire, tantrums, lack of petrol, her hold over Marie- Laure, the background of her accident, her parents? Bossy, tying up Marie-Laure?, her unhappiness? Jealousy of Camille? The estate, the furniture, her expertise? Slapping Marie-Laure? The piano and her jealousy of Pierre Alain? The truckie, flirting with him, baring her breasts, her party game? The trek, the clash with Camille, the fight? Marie-Laure?, the lesbian relationship, tied up? The ballet ambitions and her dancing? Attraction to Pierre Alain and going off with him?
13.Pierre Alain, the revolution, the spoilt rich man becoming the student revolutionary, boasting of the police brutality, attraction towards Marie-Laure?, on the trek, going off with her?
14.The driver, boasting of his sexual conquests, coming into the family, their acceptance of him, involved with everything, giving away the tomatoes, his arguments, selfishness, relationship with Claire, on the trek, leaving?
15.The lawyer, not trusted by the grandmother, the relationship with Camille, flirting, reading the will, on the trek, Camille's outburst against him?
16.The industrialist and his wife, caricatured, their fears, running away, on the trek, the story of cannibalism, the return - and the arrogant polluting of the stream? Milou's outburst?
17.The clergyman, coming to pray, turning the radio up, changing the name of the school?
18.Leonce, the faithful keeper, the bees, digging the grave and the grandmother appearing to him?
19.The lyrical atmosphere of life in the country, holiday? Abundance? Yet the underlying greed, selfishness, clashes? Relationships, sexuality? The background of change, freedom, free expression, strikes, the attitude of government, de Gaulle, leaving Paris and returning, speeches?
20.1968 as the end and the beginning of eras in French society?
