MEDECIN DE COMPAGNE/ COUNTRY DOCTOR
France, 2016, 102 minutes, Colour.
Francois Cluzet, Marianne Denicourt.
Directed by Thomas Lilti.
Stories about country doctors and country practices have been very popular on film and, especially, television series. Those for whom the idea of a country doctor and his country practice seems appealing will find a lot to like in this French version.
There is a sobering moment right at the beginning. The country doctor, played by popular and versatile French actor François Cluzet, is something of a loner, his wife having left him, his son living in the city. He goes to see a doctor friend and the diagnosis is not good. The friend urges him to ease off from the pressures of his work.
Of course, he does not.
Audiences who feel that there is an authentic atmosphere about this film and its characters, the various visits, the treatments, then this is because the writer-director, Thomas Lilti, was actually a country doctor himself before he began making films for a living.
His practice is fairly wide-ranging and we soon see glimpses of several of his patients, his kindly dealing with an old man who finds it difficult to dress, a friend involved on a building site… Somehow or other, his continuing with his practice seems rather to invigorate him.
His friend sends along a doctor assistant, a woman in her 40s who has spent some time being a nurse but has studied medicine and has a good sense of how to deal with people – except that the doctor sits in on his assistant’s interviews, is rather critical, is not particularly gracious or helpful. But, life goes on.
One night he is called out to the friend on the building site who has had a severe accident. The doctor himself stumbles and falls in the dark and needs x-rays for his shoulder, something which his assistant sees but does not let him know she is aware of his condition. They continue with their work.
There are some moments of relaxation, especially a country dance, some very enthusiastic line dancing. There are also local committees who are trying to assess improvements to medical services. And the doctor himself organises a group to take care of the old man whom he has abducted from the hospital for personal home care.
Familiar material, more or less, but with the strength of the performers and the humanity of the anecdotal stories as well as the challenge to the doctor about his health, his life, some toning down of his unfriendliness and having regards for his assistant, this is an interesting and enjoyable film.
1. A humane film? The director and his initial career as a country doctor, drawing on his experiences, in the screenplay, the medical aspects, the patients, country situations? A personal film?
2. The city sequences, the village sequences? Homes, the open roads, the farms, the medical offices, the hospital, clubs and dancers? The range of country experiences? The musical score, Riders in the Sky, Hallelujah and popular songs?
3. The portrait of Jean- Pierre, François brink Cluzet and his screen presence, age, experience, with his doctor friend, the diagnosis, the information about his condition, his reaction, issues of chemotherapy, rest and work?
4. His going back to work in the village, the meeting with his mother, his background and bond with her, his absent wife, the son absent? The range of patients, the old man removing his clothes, on the farm, the later cut and wound? The range of people, the travel, his personal rapport with all of them? The later accident, the phone call, his own fall? The taking the x-ray of his shoulder?
5. Nathalie, her arrival, Jean- Pierre and his harshness, the years as a nurse, the years of study, her age, the details of her work? Jean- Pierre and his intruding, instructing her, listening to the clients for their own diagnoses? The range of her clients, the effect on her?
6. Nathalie, Nicholas and his infatuation, autism, the later talk with the mother, Nicholas and his obsession with World War I, the detail of the illustrations, the suggestions of autism? The girl, pregnancy, abortion? Her partner, Nathalie’s advice?
7. The old man, his home, then transfer to the hospital, Jean- Pierre taking him from the hospital, getting the group together, the various tasks, caring for the man, his death?
8. Scenes of relaxation, the celebration, the club, the line dancing, the son of the mayor and the discussions with Nathalie, Jean- Pierre driving her home?
9. The local council meeting, the people present, their status tasks, discussions and plans?
10. Nathalie knowing Jean-Pierre’s? condition, having seen the x-rays and the spots, telling him that she knew? His own response, going to see his doctor – not wanting radiotherapy?
11. The final visit the doctor, the shrinking of the growths, hope, the impact of the work, keeping him going?
12. A tribute to country doctors, country practice?
