FILS DE JOSEPH/ SON OF JOSEPH

France, 2105, 115 minutes, Colour.
Victor Ezenfis, Natacha Regnier, Fabrizio Rongione, Mathieu Amalric, Maria de Madeiros, Julia Gros de Gasquet.
Directed by Eugene Green.

The Son of Joseph is a secular story, set in Paris as well as on the French coast. However, many aspects are those of biblical parable and biblical allegory. In fact, the film is divided into chapters or with biblical references – from the book of Genesis to stories from the Gospels.

Vincent is an adolescent living with his mother, sometimes a quiet boy, having a range of friends at school who indulge in bizarre hobbies (taunting a rat, for instance – although the final credits reassurance that there was no harm done to the rat and he had returned to his home, or selling semen).He has a great desire to find out something about his father.

Another religious aspect of the film is the musical score, a blend of the secular and the sacred, especially a sung poem which he and his uncle listen to in a church.

Vincent is something of a Christ-figure, made to resemble the Jesus of the Gospels as well as Isaac, son of Abraham, in the Old Testament. He considers that his father has sacrificed him, abandoned him. His father is a famous publisher who is caught up in his worldly success, with reference to the image from the book of Exodus of the Golden Calf and greed.

We follow the manoeuvres of Vincent to infiltrate into his father’s office, have conversations with his father, burst into a social – and be recognised by people as a budding author.

The other complication is that his father’s younger brother, Joseph, considered a ne’er-do-well, enters Vincent’s life and Vincent is drawn to him, bringing him home, accompanying him around the sights of Paris and then going to his father’s beach house where they infiltrate a party.

There are echoes, in the final part of the film, of Jesus, Joseph and Mary and the Flight into Egypt.

1. The title, the biblical references? Expectations?

2. The Paris story, homes, school, publishing office, hotels, socials? The sights of Paris and the use of the locations? The coast, the beach, the country house?

3. The musical score, the range of music, religious and secular? The sung poem by the group in the church? The effect on Vincent?

4. The references to the sacrifice of Abraham, the Golden Calf, greed as an idol? The sacrifice of Isaac, the Carpenter, the Flight into Egypt?

5. The film relying on audience knowledge of the Scriptures, the references, the stories, Jesus, Mary and Joseph? Abraham and Isaac, the sacrifice? The role of God?

6. Vincent as the focus, the suggestion of Jesus? At school, his age, his friends taunting the rats and his leaving, the friend with the business of semen? His mother as a nurse, his retiring to his room, the decorations and the picture of the sacrifice of Isaac? his questions about his father? Searching his mother’s desk, finding the letter, her upset? His morose temperament? Unhappiness?

7. His mother, with the father for two years, the name of Marie, pregnant, the suggestion of the abortion, her writing the letter, its being returned, the decision to be a single mother, a nurse helping others, keeping house and her son? Exhorting him to care about this?

8. Vincent, going to the shop, storing the file, the night? His dressing up the social? The author, the publisher, his secretary, alert at talking to Vincent, explaining the work as a critic? His father, the speech, the atmosphere? His being mistaken for a young author?

9. The publisher’s room, his office in the hotel? The meeting with the concierge? The maid, getting the key,? Sleep, under the sofa? Bernadette and the sexual encounter, the panties? The wife arriving, arguing, leaving?

10. His return, telling his mother he would not be at school, the writing? Getting into the room, the confrontation with his father, the knife, at his throat,, the attack?

11. The visit of Joseph, the two brothers, his request, the refusal, wanting to buy the land to raise cows? Sitting in the restaurant, Vincent going past, his concern, going for the walk, the phone number?

12. The bond between the two, going for walks, around the city, looking at the statues, the discussions, Vincent and his puns and jokes, looking at the hut, going to the church, listening to the symphonic poem?

13. Inviting Joseph to the meal, his mother’s surprise? The sharing, the joy? Discussions about cinema? Joseph taking Marie, seeing The Red Desert, discussing films and the need always to hope?

14. The decision to go to the country house, memories of holidays, Marie and the interiors, going to the coast? The house, the crowd, the social? The decision to go inside, looking through the house, Joseph’s life? The cook, the footsteps, thinking it was ghosts, talking to the publisher? The pursuit, the publisher and reaction, the police cars, the helicopter?

15. The escape, confrontation with Vincent? On the path, the men, the donkey, rewriting, going to the beach?

16. The confrontation at the beach, their being let go, the father and no accusation?

17. Their seeming to be no recognition or acknowledgement of relationships?

18. The background of the publisher, the Abraham figure, sacrificing his son? The Golden Calf, greed as a social idol? Vincent as Isaac, rescued from his father? The discussions about the voice of God, voices of angels, to do the right thing? Joseph, his work, the analogy with Joseph the carpenter? The finale and the images of the flight into
Egypt?

19. Portraits of Vincent, Marie, Joseph, of the publisher? Aspects of the film as parable and allegory?