DEMAIN DES L'AUBE (TOMORROW AT DAWN)

France, 2009, 100 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Perez, Jeremie Renier.
Directed by Denis Dercourt.

A duel. That is how this drama begins - 19th century Hussars fighting for honour of the regiment. In fact, they are 21st century men playing, ultra-seriously, at history war games and adhering to a creed that places military honour above every other code and belief. They are 21st century duellists.

The film is about two brothers and their bonds. The younger is a factory worker (Jeremie Renier) who loves this re-living and fighting of history. The older (Vincent Perez) is a world-renowned pianist and teacher who is undergoing what his wife and agent calls 'an existentialist crisis'. The brothers are also caring for the ill mother.

Director Denis Dercourt, a musician, player and teacher, has shown his love for music in The Page Turner and how to incorporate it into drama. It is the same here. However, there are sinister suggestions as to how far grown military-aping men (who are still childish in their games and petulance) will go to maintain the code and an interrupted duel. The ending is so open that audiences will have to discern and decide what will or should happen to the brothers.

1.Contemporary story, the emphasis on French history, on music? The blend?

2.The city settings, homes, hospitals, restaurants, recording studios? Authentic?

3.The music selection, the classics? The performances, the music lessons?

4.The countryside, the highway, the fields, the re-enactments of the battles?

5.The opening duel, Paul, 19th century uniforms, the skill of the duellists, Paul and his wounding his adversary? The surgeon-general? The supervisor of the duel? Their returning home to ordinary life?

6.Matthieu and his music lesson, his impatience, the notations, his playing? His relationship with his wife, her being his agent, love for his son? The scenes of school, picking him up? The plan to tour Japan, his backing out, going to care for his mother instead? His wife keeping up the pretence?

7.Matthieu and his relationship with Paul, the bonds between the two brothers, relating to their mother, her illness, her personality, coping, going to hospital? Their visits?

8.Paul and his work in the factory, inviting Matthieu to the re-enactments, Matthieu to go, dressing up? The code for the group, Matthieu and his experience of fencing, testing himself with Paul? His arrival, registration, uniform, the gathering, his insulting his adversary? The build-up to the duel and the challenge? His decision to go? Fighting, the fact that one should not attack the face or private parts? The fighting, the wounding his adversary in the face? Meeting the representative in the restaurant? The continuation of the duel? The irony of the surgeon-general being a nurse at the hospital? Paul going in his stead?

9.Crystelle, meeting Paul, their talking, her music lesson, later meeting Paul? A future?

10.The mother, her illness, her love for her sons, going into coma, the doctors?

11.Matthieu and the truth, his meeting with his wife, the discussion with the executives about the contract, playing Ravel? His agreement? His coming to his senses – the existential crisis? Going to record? His success?

12.His leaving, driving, seeing Paul at the duel, the adversary shooting and missing Paul? Matthieu taking over and killing his opponent?

13.The issues of honour, codes? Their meaning? The men, dress-up, masks, their identity as historical figures, in real life, the issue of being childish and not growing up? Hanging on to the creed of honour?

14.The open ending – what happened, what would the brothers do? The future for each of them?