ON THE WANDERING PATHS/ SUR LES CHEMINS NOIRS
France, 2023, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jean Dujardin, Josephine Japy, Izia Higelin, Anny Duperey, Jonathan Zaccai, Dylan Robert.
Directed by Denis Imbert.
The English title highlights the various paths taken by the central character, Pierre, his 1300 km walk across France from east to west, from the mountains to the Atlantic: wandering paths. The French title with its emphasis on black and dark, offers a more sinister perspective on the track as well as Pierre looking back on the meandering paths of his life, his career as a writer, the accident that almost destroyed him.
The audience is invited to accompany Pierre, having recovered from a severe fall and injuries, on this walk through France. This has two impacts on the audience. First of all, we are invited into areas of the French countryside that we have rarely or never seen before, isolated landscapes, extraordinarily rugged, sometimes barren, sometimes alive, the wonder of the photography exciting us. And, secondly, we are invited to share the life of Pierre, a kind of man about town writer in the past, chronicling his travels, acclaimed by the public, but careless in his way which leads to his devastating fall and injuries. As PN our walks, there are many flashbacks to the past, we understanding him better, not admiring him particularly in his past, but a growing admiration of his determination (though he should let up at times on his stubbornness) and his perseverance.
At times, this is a lonely walk, plenty of time to share Pierre’s recollections, his observations, writing in his notebook. But, for a pleasingly, there are many encounters along the way, engaging cameos – a young woman selling cheeses to any passers-by, an isolated farm offering some relief, an old man reminiscing about the countryside and settlement after World War II, family heritage, shepherds, and the pressures of modern developments, an evening at a monastery, a silent meal with the monks, listening to Reading in the refectory… Is joined by a close friend for some days, just as well because he has an epileptic fit and needs some medical attention. Another time he is joined by his sister, playfully, reminiscing. There is a small town, the young man behind the counter of a bakery and delicatessen, a town progressing towards abandonment.
There is great humanity in this story, Pierre seeing his walk as a recovery of part of his past life which seemed beyond recovery, but also seeing it as a chance of some recuperation of life, as well as a possibility of some redemption. As he nears the Atlantic the end, there is a vision of the monastery of Mont San Michele, rising majestically, something of a transcendent vision of achievement.
Pierre is played by the celebrated French actor, Jean Dujardin, a strong career in French cinema and then, rather suddenly and unexpectedly, winning the Best Actor Oscar in 2011 for The Artist. This enabled to showed and to continue his career even more successfully, internationally in such films as The Wolf of Wall Street and The Monuments Men as well as continued presence in French cinema, The Connection, the terrorist film and the 2015 massacres in Paris, November. The story, based on fact, is from Sylvain Tesson, his adventures were also narrated in the film, The Velvet Queen, on the search for snow leopards in Tibet.
1. The title, wandering paths, black and dark paths?
2. French sensibility, French characters and determination, the French landscapes, from the mountains to the Atlantic?
3. The structure of the film, identification with Pierre, his career, writer, seen him set out on his track, the discussions, the feasibility, medical advice? His intentions, motivations? The insertion of the range of flashbacks, to his previous career, relationship with Ana, difficulties, his walking, drinking, friends, scaling down the wall, his fall, injuries, surgery, recuperation, scarred? Pierre and his journey, memories, writing, wanting some kind of redemption and rehabilitation?
4. Audience empathy with Pierre as a character, seeing him on the walk, his determination, interactions with those he met, solitary, joined by Arnaud, joined by his sister, their personalities, interactions with him, memories of his mother, the greetings to his father? His collapse, the epilepsy, Arnaud, the ambulance, on his way again? Encounters along the road, the young woman selling the cheese and give him an extra, the farmer and the water, the old man and his reminiscences about the changes in the countryside, flocks and cattle? His staying with the monks, the room, the community dining room and the reading at meals?
5. The film offering a portrait of Pierre, but also a portrait of France and its interior landscapes? The loneliness, the peaks, piers standing on them, looking down to the valleys, the rivers? The plains, the cattle, the sheep, his condemnation of the coming of the herbivores? His writing, observations, reflections, from the past, the experience of the walk?
6. The audience walking with him, the continued signalling of places and distance covered? The range of French to rain?
7. The blend of the rugged outdoors, camping out with Arnaud? The hardships of the walk, dangers, broken rock, the heights? And his memories of climbing with Anna? His relationship with her, the accident, her walking out, her blaming him for the break?
8. The achievement, monsoon Michelle as a symbolic destination, at the Atlantic, the sense of achievement?
9. The audience walking with him, sharing the experience of France, showing the hardships, the exhilaration?
