UN CONTE DU NOEL (A CHRISTMAS STORY)

France, 2008, 150 minutes, Colour.
Catherine Deneuve, Jean- Paul Roussillon, Anne Consigny, Mathieu Amelrik, Melville Poupaud, Hippolyte Girardot, Emmanuel Davos, Chiara Mastroianni, Laront Capelluto, Emil Berling.
Directed by Arnaud Desplechin,

A film especially for the French and French sensibilities. Much of it will have an appeal beyond France but may appear to the outsider just one of those many family sagas where everyone irritates everyone else, there are fights, reunions, illness and concern, visitors who observe. In fact, the Americans did Hollywood versions of this kind of thing in Home for the Holidays or The Family Stone.

The film is quite long with a number of sub-plots. The early part is spent in introducing the various members of the family, especially the death of the oldest child from leukemia and the consequent effects on parents and the next three children. Stylised scenes from the past are included with framed portraits and captions. One needs to pay attention here. Soon there are flashbacks and exposition of themes which require some more concentration.

The matriarch is played by Catherine Deneuve in her beautiful grande dame manner. Early in the film she is diagnosed as having leukemia and there is to be testing of family members for a bone-marrow match. And it is Christmas and the family patriarch (Jean- Paul Roussilon) is attempting to get the whole family together, especially the next son, Henri (Mathieu Amalric) who has been banned from family gatherings by his family-protective sister, Elizabeth (Anne Consigny). He brings a Jewish girlfriend (Emmanuelle Devos). Melville Poupard plays the youngest child, Igor, who comes with his two children and his wife, Sylvie (Chiara Mastroianni) and a cousin who is infatuated with Sylvie. Elizabeth’s husband (Hippolyte Girardot) travels a great deal and their son has had a nervous breakdown.

Put all these characters, played by a top-flight French cast, and situations into the melting pot, add some shopping, a Midnight Mass, a family concert and assorted clashes and fights and there you have it, a Christmas story a la francaise.

1.The reputation of the director? His pictures of French life, family, tensions, dysfunction, love, crises?

2.The scope of the film, lives in the past, lives in the present? The town of Roubaix, the town itself, life in the town, homes, shopping malls, Christmas celebrations, Midnight Mass, the hospital?

3.The musical score, the range of instruments, harpsichords and bagpipes, orchestras?

4.The first part and the voice-over, the introductions to each of the characters, the parents and Abel’s speech at his son Joseph’s funeral, grief and coping? Joseph, his history, leukaemia, his death? The other children, Elizabeth being in charge, Henri and his conception in hope for supplying bone marrow? Ivan’s later birth? The variety of characters? Ivan’s children? Paul? Cousin Simon? The way of introduction with captions, flashbacks?

5.Catherine Deneuve as Junon, the long marriage, housewife, love for her husband, her life, her different children and the different attitudes? Her illness, her calm approach, the explanations, reading the documentation, listening to the doctors, the group and their working on the statistics with Claude and Abel to find the probabilities for extending her life? The decision about the family, no immediate compatibility? The rarity of her blood? The various tests? Her illness being the reason for Joseph’s leukaemia?

6.Abel, the dye factory, his age, life, loving his wife, caring for her, his relationship with his children, practical at home, love for music, arranging the Christmas reunion? His dealing with Henri in the court?

7.Elizabeth, older, caring, the clashes with Henri, her being prone to melancholy, the theatre, her plays, marrying Claude and his travel, Paul and his breakdown? Henri and his debts, her paying them off, her banning him from being present in the family when she was there? Her life, coping with Paul’s sickness? Coming for Christmas? Talking to Henri – and the effect? Paul being compatible for the bone marrow? Claude and his fighting with Henri, his return for Christmas? Talking with her father, the motivations, wanting to help her mother? Claude absent and present, Paul fragile? Claude as a character, rarely seen? Love for his wife? Paul and his fragility, few friends, looking in the mirror and feeling it was staring him down, the breakdown, his medication, his uncle, going to see Henri, jogging with him, the compatibility – and his improving self-image?

8.Henri, the middle child, expectations about his bone marrow? Difficulties with his mother? Difficulties with honesty? Debts, the theatre? In court? Elizabeth and her solution but banning him? His marriage, one month and the death of his wife? The effect? His drinking? Friendship with Simon, visits to Ivan? His work, falling flat on his face in the gutter? Paul and his visit? The relationship with Faunia – the Jewish background, his mother calling him the little Jew, her coping, being able to stay, sharing with the family, enjoying the visit, going shopping with Junon? Her surreptitious leaving? The frank talk? Henri and Faunia and her going, his later behaviour, punching Claude, the fight, going to Midnight Mass with his mother, their frank talks, jogging with Paul, his collapsing at the meal after the toast, the operation, his bone marrow, his general anaesthetic, recovering, going to be with his mother?

9.Ivan and Sylvie, their children, easy together, Sylvie not liked by Junon? Her relationship with Simon, searching for him, the sexual liaison, her explanation of creating him in his absence? Ivan’s attitude? The children, playing, putting on the performance, the crib and waiting for Jesus?

10.The background of the grandmother, her relationship with the woman, the photos, the old lady coming to the celebrations?

11.Junon and her clashes with Abel, indecision about the procedure? Going shopping with Faunia? The family with the gifts, the wrapping, giving out the presents, her going to Midnight Mass and liking it?

12.The family leaving – without matters being settled?

13.The hospital, the doctor, Henri, the anaesthetic, with his mother and the transfusion?

14.A portrait of a family? Interpretations of characters and their behaviour?