L’HOMME DE LA CAVE/ MAN IN THE BASEMENT  

France, 2021, 114 minutes, Colour.

François Cluzet, Jeremy Renier, Berenice Bejo, Jonathan Zacccai, Victoria Eber, Denise Chalem, Patrick Descamps, Laeticia Eido.

Directed by Philippe le Guay.

This is an unsettling film. Even the title, indicating someone in a basement, sounds unsettling.

The film opens rather ordinarily, a family and their home, father (Jeremy Rennier), wife (Berenice Bejo) and a daughter with ordinary problems. The family have a cellar which the father wants to rent out, a bit of income for house repairs. Pleasant gentlemanly type, played by veteran François Cluzet does a deal, hiring the cellar for storage. However, it seems that he has moved in, saying he is between apartments…

With the focus of the film on the man in the basement, he soon appears more sinister than originally thought. He emerges as racist, bad-mouthing local Arabs in the restaurant, but having a website which is full of anti-Semitic vitriol. And, conspiracies. The French equivalent of such movements as QAnon.

This has repercussions for the family, the father, Jewish, but not particularly acknowledging it, his brother far more militant, willing to hire men to get physical with the man in the basement. The wife listens to the man, questioning some of what he says.

The film builds up to a dramatic tension, confrontations, the man in the basement justifying himself by saying that every stance needs its critics and that is the nature of society. This raises the question of free speech, the limits of free speech, sensitivities, prejudice and bigotry.

1. The title, the focus on Fonzic? The initial enigma, wanting the basement, his reasons, stories, lies, his character and motivations?
2. The French setting, World War II history, the history of the Jews in France, the roundups, concentration camps, collaborations and betrayals, ownership of shops and apartments, the post-war situation? The long tradition, Jewish memories, continuing anti-Semitism?
3. The Sandberg family, Simon, his position, personality, relationship with Helene, their daughter and her attitudes? The visits to his parents, the meals? His brother, ups and downs, unreliable? Ownership of the house, the traditions, 1942, the loss of the house, gained after the war? The photos and memories?
4. The decision about the basement, the sale, the visuals, downstairs, the long corridors, the basement hidden away, small? Fonzic and his appearance, the discussions, wanting the basement, the later meetings, his offering of immediate payment before the signatures? His ownership of the basement? No legal recourse?
5. Fonzic, the gradual revelation of his character and stances, critical, wanting the truth, Holocaust denier, looking at evidence, modifying the facts, different interpretations? His point about the massacre of 12 million Native Americans in the 19^th century? His past as a teacher, Simon going to investigate, learning the truth, forensic losing his job? His writing, investigations, the anti-Semitic slurs, graffiti?
6. Simon, the reaction to the news about From sick, the meeting, the sale irrevocable? The effect on him, a panic, anger, wanting to go into action? Helene, Catholic background, her reaction, identifying with Simon, the effect on her attitudes and mental health? The daughter, warned against From sick, the discussions with him, the 12 million Native Americans, her reactions, his encounters with her, taunts?
7. Simon and his reaction, boarding up the toilet, from sick and his behaviour, sanitary, going to the public baths? Eating locally? The confrontations with Simon? His brother, wanting to react? The parents, the discussions, the ownership of the house, surfacing the stories of the past?
8. Audience sympathy for the Sandberg family, the response to the anti-Semitism? Dislike of Forensic? Yet from six behaviour bringing out a kind of fanaticism in the family?
9. Audience dislike of forensic, the issue of the right to freedom of speech, freedom to expound error, hurt speech?
10. The repercussions for forensic, French law, atmosphere, his freedoms?
11. The repercussion for the Jewish family, the memories of the past, reliving the past, on the defensive, aggressive?
12. The end of the film leaving audiences without clear answers, moral dilemmas?