QUELQUES JOURS EN SEPTEMBRE

France, 2006, 112 minutes, Colour.
Juliet Binoche, John Turturro, Nick Nolte, Sarah Forestier, Patrick Riley.
Directed by Santiago Amigorena.

This is a film set in the days immediately before the events of September 11, 2001. The film has an atmosphere of espionage as well as conspiracy theories – and an interesting perspective on French espionage as well as American espionage, links to the Middle East, Arabic-speaking countries and the terrorist attacks of the time.

The film structure is taking six days day-by-day. The initial setting is Paris where a French spy contacts the daughter of a former colleague who had worked with her in Iraq before the first Gulf war. Complications arise when the stepson of the American spy also arrives – tailed by a mercenary killer. The film then shows the cat-and-mouse tactics of the spy as she evades her pursuer, all the time protecting the squabbling young people. The scene shifts to Venice where there is a beautiful location for a melodramatic confrontation.

The film is particularly interesting because of its casting. Juliet Binoche is not the first actress one would think of to portray a tough secret agent. She does well in the role. John Turturro is manic as the pursuing killer, quoting literature, confident in himself – but relentlessly cruel. Sarah Forestier is persuasive as the temperamental daughter and Tom Riley is the stepson. At the end, there is a guest appearance by Nick Nolte as the American spy.

The film was written and directed by Santiago Amigorena, Argentinian-born but who worked in France as a screenwriter, over thirty films for such prominent directors as Cedric Klabisch, Marion Vernoux and Stephane Clavier. This is his first film as writer-director.

The film is interesting as offering a different perspective on events in the Middle East, in Iraq, the Gulf war, espionage and motivations – and possible double-dealings by American spies, trying to make money out of the impending September 11 disaster.

1. French and American perspectives? Relationships, tensions, agents, deals? The world of espionage of the 1980s and 1990s? The consequences for 2001?

2. The popularity of conspiracy theories, with the background of 11 September? The plausibility of this screenplay?

3. The use of Paris locations and their beauty, Venice and its particular beauty? Authentic atmospheres? The musical score?

4. The structure of the film: the successive days, the five days before September 11? Setting the pace, creating tension?

5. The focus on Irene, Juliet Binoche’s performance, her receiving the letter, coming to visit Orlando, their discussions and hostilities, her story, her mission? Her wanting to meet Elliot? Irene and her past, in the Middle East, in Iraq, the Gulf War, the deals, negotiations? Creating wars in a sense? The deals with Saddam Hussein, his believing he could invade Kuwait? Some Americans persuading him of this? The war, its aftermath, terrorism in Baghdad, the death of Orlando’s mother? Elliot and his return to the United States? Her not having seen him for ten years?

6. Orlando, her age, the experience of her mother’s death in Baghdad, seeing it? Irene’s telling David this story later in the film? Her relationship with her father, resentment? Her being alone, suspicious? Her anti-American stances? Wondering whether they were really human? The political arguments, the racist arguments in comparisons with the Japanese?

7. David, his arrival, the puzzle, his background, Elliot’s stepson, not knowing his father’s name, his own mother’s death, his admiring Elliot?

8. William Pound, following David, discovering Irene and Orlando? His having admired Elliot in the past, working for him, Elliot being a father figure? His being an assassin, ruthless with the murder of the concierge, ruthless with the killings in Venice for his surveillance? The phone taps? Calling Irene, her outwitting him in the rendezvous and escaping to Venice? Getting the information, tracking Irene to Venice, his arrival, surveillance, listening to the phone calls? His own reports? His phone calls to his psychiatrist, his quoting poetry? The story about the psychiatrist and telling him to tell any other patient to be patient when he rang? That he should destroy the father figure? His aims and having Irene in his sights? His killing Elliot, the confrontation between Irene and William, their taunting each other, the lights out? His death?

9. Irene with David and Orlando, their squabbles, suspicions, her care for them? Her going out, the phone calls, the decision to go to Venice, her outwitting William Pound? His following them and their knowing it? The Arab businessmen and their observing as well? Her discussions with the Arabs, trying to find out the truth, the postponement of the meeting with Elliot? Going on the outings, the meals? The tensions in the apartment, the pillow fight? Her tortoise? Her seriousness in Venice, the rendezvous in the church, wanting to buy the record, meeting Elliot, killing William?

10. Orlando and William, Orland’s name, his taunting her, the idle games to fill in time, the growing relationship, the sexual relationship, the touch of relationship – with no relationship? Her changing, the pillow fight, the tenderness, the meals? Orlando and her bile against Americans, calling them dinosaurs, the attack on President Bush? David and his attempt at defence?

11. Elliot’s arrival, his age and experience, his mission, his secrets, his advice to the Arabs, making money, getting a commission? The build-up September 11, his being in the know, the arrangement about the percentage for his children? His hopes? His death and his attempt to apologise?

12. The ending, Orlando and David together – the possibility of staying in Venice, the money they would inherit? Irene, the discussions, her future?

13. The atmosphere of 11 September, the suggestions on the television and people watching? Terrorism, the Middle East, conspiracies?