THE MAN ON THE TRAIN
France, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jean Rochefort, Johnny Halliday, Jean François Stevenin, Charlie Nelson.
Directed by Patrice Leconte.
The Man on the Train was directed by Patrice Leconte. Leconte has had a very successful career in the French cinema from the late 80s with a succession of interesting films: M'sieur Hire, The Hairdresser's Husband, Tango, Yvonne's Perfume, Ridicule, The Girl on the Bridge, The Widow of San Pierre. Actor Jean Rochefort appeared in several of these films and appears to advantage in this film as a reclusive man in a French provincial town who dreams of being someone different, living a daring life. Into the town comes a seedy character, played by French actor-singer Johnny Halliday. Though he is there to do a job, his dream is to live the quiet and reclusive life. The lives of these two men intersect, showing the possibilities of what the other could do in their imaginary life. The film was an interesting portrait of two very different men, comparing and contrasting them, culminating in an action sequence and bank robbery which goes awry and enables the men to fulfil something of their dreams.
The film is particularly French, captures the life of a French provincial town - but has universal appeal in its portrait of its two central characters.
1. Satisfying drama, character study? The focus on two men, two complementary men? Seeking the opposites? The role of fate, death, possibilities?
2. Milan arriving on the train, the music and the journey, the quiet town, the mansion, the streets, the bistro, the bank?
3. The musical score, Johnny Halliday's musical background, the director saying he was like Robbery Cooder compared with Menesquier being Schubert? Each playing the piano - and Menesquier saying that the piano was boring, even for Beethoven?
4. The title, like a title for a painting, Milan and the journey, the end and Menesquier on the train?
5. The suggestion that the opening was like a western, the silent town, the gunfighter arriving? However, his headache, the chemist, meeting Menesquier, walking home, the mansion, the unlocked gates and doors, the pills and the water? The house and the room, their talk? The hotel shut, Milan returning, his being shown his room, settling in?
6. The two men at home, Menesquier and his continued talking, explanation of himself, teaching for thirty years, French literature? His mother and all her clutter, 15 years dead? His relationship with his sister - and antagonisms? His mistress? (Their coming, the encounter with Milan, the criticisms?) The two men talking, Milan silent, enjoying the company? The teaching, the young boy coming and the questions about the poetry? The prospect of the bypass? His searching Milan's room, the guns, putting on the jacket, imitating Wyatt Earp in the mirror?
7. The Wyatt Earp aspirations, the adrenalin of the bank robbery compared with the criminal getting a new pair of slippers, teaching the young boy, playing the piano, smoking a pipe and settling down?
8. Milan and going to see the others, waiting, the set-up of the bank, Luigi's arrival, Max and the ultimate betrayal? The robbery, the police, the notification, Max's escape, Luigi caught, Milan shot? The scenes of him lying dead on the street, his eyes?
9. The bistro sequence, the noise, Menesquier and his wanting to assert himself, challenging the young man - and finding that the young man appreciated his poetry and was able to quote poetry, Menesquier giving him 18 out of 20?
10. Going for the haircut, getting himself ready for the operation? His being away and missing the class, Milan giving the boy the class on Balzac, the essay topic of "What would happen to Eugenie Grandet if she had used the phone"?
11. Going to the hospital the operation sequences? Cutting to the bank? The two men dying at the same time?
12. Each opening his eyes, Milan back in the mansion, doing all the things that Menesquier on the train?
13. The film as the portrait of two men, experience and lives, possibilities and hopes?
