LES EGARES (STRAYED)
France, 2003, 95 minutes, Colour.
Emanuel Beart, Gaspard Ulliel, Gregoire la Prince- Ringuet, Clemence Meyer.
Directed by Andre Techine.
Strayed is a moving war film. It was written and directed by celebrated French director Andre Techine who began directing films in 1970 and made a diverse range of features including The Bronte Sisters in the late 60s to The Wild Reeds and Alice and Martin in the 1990s. He has a particularly strong sensibility towards the portrayal of women.
Emmanuel Beart stars as the mother of two children, fleeing the oncoming German army at the outbreak of World War Two. Instead of being killed, she has to take care of her children for several years in the forest – where she is led by a mysterious teenager, Ivan. The survival of these strayed people in the forest is told with delicacy, especially in the interrelationships, Ivan and his coming to terms with the mother of the children, serving as something of a father figure for the twelve-year-old boy. The seven-year-old daughter tells herself fairy tales (which are reproduced on the soundtrack as voice-over).
The film portrays the difficulties of the war, the war issues without much explicit war sequences. Two soldiers from the French army appear at the farm and are presented as genial and caring. However, Ivan is captured by the army – and we later learn that he has hanged himself in prison. The mother and the children meanwhile are living in defeated France.
Techine shows something of the human spirit of endurance – as well as capturing the atmosphere of war and the despair consequent on the barbarity of war.
1. A World War II film in 2003? The long tradition of war films? The impact for a 21st century audience? The director adapting a novel and telling his insights into war?
2. The title, the focus on the small group, the refugees from war, how they had to cope, survival, interactions? Hopes?
3. The French locations, the roads, the mansion in the countryside? Summer? An authentic atmosphere? The musical score?
4. The use of black and white photography from the war period, inserted into this story to give it a sense of realism?
5. The people on the road, no explanations, fleeing Paris, June 1940? The invasion of the Nazis? Their cruelty? The long straggling line, people with their possessions, carts, the few with cars? The slowness on the crowded roads? The need for water? Odile and her saying that it was everyone for themselves? Her refusal to let the man enter the car because of her sleeping daughter?
6. The planes, the strafing of the innocent people on the road, their being bombed? The impact, fear? People running away?
7. The establishing of the family, in the car, the mother in charge, the ages of the children, the boy and his transition to puberty, feeling that he should be responsible? The little girl sleeping, wanting to play, thirsty, not really understanding what was going on? Their dead father at the beginning of the war?
8. Taking shelter, the boy running, Ivan and his stopping the boy running? The decision to go into the woods? The family keeping together, the mother trying to assert control, the boy not wanting to obey? The tension and edge within the family? With Ivan, not knowing who he was, helping them, Odile's suspicions?
9. The experience in the woods, sleeping out, the fire? The need for water, for food? Ivan and his being mysterious, aged seventeen, his stories, appearance and shaven head? His having an answer for everything?
10. His finding the house, Odile's suspicions, not wanting to go in? His climbing the wall, smashing the window? Their settling in, the allotment of the rooms, finding the food and the wine? Their being able to build a life in the house? Like a family?
11. Odile, her softening a little, her finding the gun and the hand grenade and burying them, refusing to tell Ivan? Their discussions, the tenderness, the sexual relationship? The arrival of the French soldiers, their stories, the retreat, hoping for an armistice, Odile giving them a meal? Their going on?
12. Philippe, his age, experience, his friendship with Ivan, believing him because he was a survivor, following him? The food, sharing the experiences, like an older brother? His being hurt when rebuffed by Ivan? The protection of his mother? The soldiers, his singing the German song? The contrast with Cathy, her age, wanting to play, the wheelbarrow game, her surviving without understanding?
13. The soldiers coming, Ivan and his suspicions, keeping away, Odile's explanation about her large family? His wanting to kill them, his expecting them to rape Odile? His being persuaded not to kill them?
14. The police coming, the questions about Ivan, the questions about the family, their being taken from the home, their knowing the owners? Going to the centre with all the other refugees, lining up for the soup? The family together?
15. The questions about Ivan, his true identity, the institution, the name that he had given about the boy who had killed himself? His hanging himself in prison? Odile not telling the others but saying that he had escaped?
16. The overall impact of understanding the experience of World War II through the focus on this small family of refugees?
