SUITE FRANÇAISE

UK, 2014, 107 minutes, Colour.
Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Matthias Schoenaerts, Margot Robbie, Ruth Wilson, Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara, Harriet Walters, Lambert Wilson.
Directed by Saul Dibb.

Suite Francaise is based on a novel by Irene Nomorofsky. She wrote it in the 1940s about her contemporary experience in the Nazi occupation of France, but was sent to Auschwitz where she died and the manuscript disappeared, later appearing in the at the end of the 20th century and published.

The film was directed by Saul Dibb whose films include a British gangster film, Bullet Boy, and historical drama, The Duchess. Here, the occupation of a French village is brought vividly to life, the refugees after the bombing of Paris, the German military occupying, the attempts of the local nobility to make friends with the authorities – to little avail.

The film focuses on a young woman whose husband has been sent to the front. She is living with his mother, very severe woman. The young woman is played by Michele Williams and the mother in law by Kristin Scott Thomas. There are tensions in the household with the older woman in charge, spurning the Germans but forced to accept them, a religious woman, going to church.

The Germans have difficulty with billeting their soldiers and a rather sympathetic officer is allotted to the house. He is played by Matthias Schoenaerts, a musician and composer, coming from a military family and conscientious about doing his duty. There is an attraction to the young woman, further complications about his sense of duty, the arrest of a young man (Sam Riley) accused of an attack against the Germans.in a crisis of conscience and love, the officer lets the young woman drive the man to safety in Paris.

There is a very strong supporting cast of character actors, including Margot Robbie and an early role.

Quite an absorbing picture of a very difficult time.

1. A story of the occupation of France, 1940? The author, her novel, her being sent to Auschwitz and her death, the disappearance of the manuscript, the later discovery, publication in the late 20th century? Acclaim? This film interpretation?

2. Audience interest, the British director, the international cast? Use of English French and German?

3. A 21st-century perspective, familiar material from history and from the movies? The film immersing the audience into the situation and with the characters? The impact for the French and their history? The British? The Germans in World War II? A world audience?

4. The town, the details, costumes and decor from the 1940s? The square, the shops, market, the church, the mansions, the farms and the homes, the roads? Atmosphere?

5. The musical score, the title? Bruno and his composition? The background theme for the action?

6. Lucille’s perspective, the voice-over? Subdued, the retrospect, her having been used by her father for the marriage, for wealth? Her being used by Madame, marrying off her son? Lucille trapped, the war experience, the effect of the experience of Bruno?

7. June 1940, the bombing of Paris, the setting for the film, the visuals of the bombing? The long lines of refugees on the road? The planes, the strafing, people fleeing, fears, deaths? The desperation? The plane flight later, dropping the leaflets over the square?

8. Lucille, her personality, age, marriage, seeing Gaston only twice, hoping to fall in love? Father wanting the financial benefits? A piano? The war, Gaston going to war, his disappearance, news of him as a prisoner of war? The later revelations about his infidelity, having a child? Madame, strict, but knowing the truth?

9. The character of Madame, glacial, devoted mother, in the mansion, with Lucille and dominating her? The wealth, collecting the rents, the stories of her evictions? The people on the farms? Going to church, righteous? The details of life that? Reaction to a German being billeted? Reaction to Bruno? Cold, anti-German, demands on Lucille? A dominating woman? The servant and her place in the house, cooking and cleaning?

10. The road, the bombs, Madame driving, at home, at the church, the speech of the priest, the rumbling of the German tanks? The Germans and their arrival, the young men, in the square, billeted? The townspeople and the giving in gossiping and informative notes about their neighbours? Madame, the varied reactions, her taking in Benoit, and finally the Jewish child? Her becoming more bold and determined?

11. The woman refugee and her child, in the fields, finding a home, her being Jewish, have been taken away, her daughter finding refuge with Madame?

12. Lucille, the piano, the encounters with Bruno? The following the music? Listening to it? Sitting and talking with him? Her reading the gossip notes? His playing? The attraction, Madame’s absence, the preparation for the meal? Who being seen? Reactions, condemnation, the situation? Bruno, his dealings with his officer, the fellow officer and getting him moved? His being in charge of the execution of the mayor? Lucille and her dress, going to get the permission to leave and go to Paris?

13. Farms, the couple and their daughter, her liaison with the Germans, the resentment of Madame because of the evictions?

14. The farmer and his wife, the family, his work, his injury and unable to fight in the war? Seen to work, antagonism towards the Germans? The officer billeted, his attentions to the wife, Benoit being angry, the taunts by the German, the gun, the fight and the shooting? Benoit disappearing, his wife’s appeal to Lucille, Lucille hiding, finding him, the dangers, going to the
room upstairs?

15. The Germans collecting all the guns – the people keeping them?

16. The mayor, his wife, aristocratic, liaising with the Germans, the plea that they not have anybody billeted with them? The discussions with the authorities? The Countess and her hostility, the encounter with Benoit, denouncing him? Searching for him? The husband held accountable, his arrest, his conditions, her visit, his last meal? Sitting in the marketplace, not blindfolded, the priest anointing and blessing him? Shot – with Bruno and the final shot?

17. Bruno, his culture, yet a military family, his brothers and their deaths? Billeted, his propriety, the room, playing the music, continuing compositions? His work with the soldiers, the rebuke to the soldier billeted with the farmer? Discussions with his superior, with Lucille, the kiss? In charge of the execution, shooting the mayor? His assistant in the search, the cigarette smoke and the clue?

18. The elaborate search for Benoit throughout the fields, unsuccessful?

19. Lucille preparing to leave, the documents? The assistant and his suspicions and leaving the message in the car with the documents? The guards on the road? The confrontation, Benoit shooting, Lucille shooting?

20. Bruno, arriving, the tension of the situation, his helping, allowing them to leave?

21. Lucille and her reflection in the aftermath, her own life, in the Resistance, and Bruno disappearing?