THE WAR OF THE BUTTONS

France, 2011, 100 minutes, Colour.
Eric Elmosnino, Mathilde Seigner, Alain Chabert, Vincent Bres, Salome Lemire.
Directed by Yann Samuell.

The War of the Buttons was a novel written in 1913 by Louis Pegaud. It was filmed in 1963 by Yves Robert and was considered something of a classic, bringing to life the children in the novel, waging war between two villages, an allegory for all wars – and for the war in Algeria which was being waged at the time of the films making. There was a version transferred to Ireland in 1994. It was also filmed in 2011, with the title The New War of the Buttons, with the setting at the end of World War II and a focus on a young Jewish woman.

This version, designed for children and a family audience, is also set during the Algerian war. There is very little reference to it except when an older boy comes back from Algeria, somewhat shellshocked from his experience in the war.

The film focuses in detail on the children, the initial clash with slingshots, the escalating hostilities, the number of fights and the means used.

On the other hand, the screenplay gives attention to education, the children at school, the work of the teacher who grew up in the area and has come back to teach. It also focuses on the leader, William Lebrac, who helps his widowed mother with the milking and distribution of the milk, who was respected by the children. The teacher recognises his ability and urges him to study and to sit for a scholarship for a better school.

The film also features the parish priest who plays soccer with the boys, referees the matches, takes the school photos, preaches at mass, intervenes with the boys. It is an interesting and quite sympathetic portrait of a priest at that time.

While the film is entertaining, it also highlights the futility of war, the presupposition that there should be conflict and rivalry and that this should continue in hostilities rather than reconciliation.

1. The classic novel, the number of remakes? Relevant in the 21st century?

2. The French setting, the early 1960s, the war in Algeria, the allusions to that war, the parallels between the war of the buttons and the serious war in the French colonies?

3. The village, school, homes, church, the countryside? The musical score? The children and the contemporary song and dance?

4. The opening, the gangs, the boys with their slingshots, going into action, the chases, the threats, the rivalries? The two towns, the gangs and the ages of the boys? The leadership?

5. The presentation of fights, melees?

6. The role of the teacher, his classes, the emphasis on grammar, language, matters? His past, from the town, the champion at stone skimming, his treatment of the children, his knowledge of what they were up to? His focus on Lebrac, hopes in him, threats, the boy giving the right answers, his encouraging him, discussions with his mother, persuading him to do the scholarship test? The rivalry with the teacher from the other town, their reconciliation through stone-skimming?

7. Lebruc, older than the others, leadership, working for his mother, the clashes with his mother? The discovery of the girl in the group? The attraction? Their meeting, the windows, the song and dance and throwing things out? The girl putting on her dress and rescuing him? The farewell as he went off to the new school?

8. The priest, playing with the boys, sport, referee, the mess with the school photo, at mass and the children running out for the party? Benign, intervening when necessary?

9. Lebruc’s mother, widow, hard work, wanting her son to get an apprenticeship, hearing the teacher, relenting about his scholarship?

10. Sitting for the scholarship, the teacher, his answers, support from the teacher, his success?

11. The build-up to the party, the elaborate preparations, the rival gang, the tractor, the boy who wanted recognition, the toffee apple the little girl and her response? The continuation of the party?

12. The allegorical meaning of the story with the rivalries and the battles?